title: Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) inhibits adipocyte hypertrophy and down regulates lipogenic gene expression in adipose tissue of diet-induced obese rats.
abstract: Bitter melon (Momordica charantia; BM) has been shown to ameliorate diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. To examine the effect of BM supplementation on cell size and lipid metabolism in adipose tissues, three groups of rats were respectively fed a high-fat diet supplemented without (HF group) or with 5 % lyophilised BM powder (HFB group), or with 0.01 % thiazolidinedione (TZD) (HFT group). A group of rats fed a low-fat diet was also included as a normal control. Hyperinsulinaemia and glucose intolerance were observed in the HF group but not in HFT and HFB groups. Although the number of large adipocytes (>180 microm) of both the HFB and HFT groups was significantly lower than that of the HF group, the adipose tissue mass, TAG content and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity of the HFB group were significantly lower than those of the HFT group, implying that BM might reduce lipogenesis in adipose tissue. Experiment 2 was then conducted to examine the expression of lipogenic genes in adipose tissues of rats fed low-fat, HF or HFB diets. The HFB group showed significantly lower mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1, lipoprotein lipase and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein than the HF group (P < 0.05). These results indicate BM can reduce insulin resistance as effective as the anti-diabetic drug TZD. Furthermore, BM can suppress the visceral fat accumulation and inhibit adipocyte hypertrophy, which may be associated with markedly down regulated expressions of lipogenic genes in the adipose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Nutrition, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: You-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Ying-Nien
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chyuan
authors.forename: Ching-Jang
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Pei-Min
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000517:prevention & control; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D029777:Momordica charantia; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D004041:Dietary Fats; D010936:Plant Extracts