title: Modulation of pancreatic β-cells in neonatally streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats by the ethanolic extract of Momordica charantia fruit pulp.
abstract: Effective doses of the Momordica charantia fruit pulp (MCF) ethanolic extract on pancreatic β-cells modulation in neonatally streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats were studied. Diabetic rats (n=8) were treated with MCF extract (400 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) or glibenclamide (5 mg kg(-1)) for 28 days. Control rats (n=11) and untreated diabetic rats (n=8) received only water. Fasting glucose, serum insulin (by ELISA) and β-cell function (HOMA %B by homeostasis model assessment) were measured. β- and α-cells were identified by immunostaining, nuclei by DAPI, and β-cell size and number by morphometry. Significant improvement of fasting blood glucose, serum insulin and β-cell function was observed with the MCF extract for the diabetic rat model. The islet size, total β-cell area and number of β-cells were increased to almost double in the diabetic rats treated with MCF extract as compared to the untreated diabetic rats. The number of α-cells did not change significantly. Insulin granules in β-cells were notably reduced in diabetic islets as compared to control islets. However, extract-treated diabetic rat β-cells were abundant with insulin granules, which was comparable to non-diabetic control islets. The modulation of pancreatic β-cells may be involved in the experimental observation of anti-diabetic effects of M. charantia extract.
authors.affiliation: Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan. hafizpcmd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rahman Md
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hafizur
authors.forename: Nurul
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.forename: Sidra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chishti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D029777:Momordica charantia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol