Acid-ethanol extractable compounds from fruits and seeds of the bitter gourd Momordica charantia: effects on lipid metabolism in isolated rat adipocytes.
Fruits and seeds of the bitter gourd Momordica charantia (Family Cucurbitaceae) were extracted with acidic ethanol. The extract was adjusted to pH 3 and proteins and peptides were precipitated by addition of a copious volume of acetone. The precipitate was dissolved, dialyzed and lyophilized. The resulting material, designated "p-fraction" was tested for antilipolytic and lipogenic activities. Seed "p-fraction" was further chromatographed on fetuin agarose to yield an unadsorbed fraction (F) which could be fractionated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-10 to give an unretarded fraction (F1) and a retarded fraction (F2). Fruit "p-fraction" exhibited antilipolytic activity in hamster adipocytes and stimulated 3H-glucose incorporation into lipids. F1, a saponin containing fraction, inhibited both lipolysis and 3H-glucose incorporation into lipids. F2 enhanced 3H-glucose incorporation into lipid. The results are indicative of the presence of compounds with insulinomimetic activities in M. charantia fruits and seeds.
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Department of Biochemistry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories.
Wong
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CM
Li
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Yeung
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HW
D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006224:Cricetinae; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology; D005638:Fruit / Q000032:analysis; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D012639:Seeds / Q000032:analysis
D007328:Insulin; D010940:Plant Proteins; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases