Abstract:
Many diabetics use M. charantia and claim that it has a glucose lowering effect. The present
study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effect of consumption of M. charantia porridges
made with different parts of the plant; fruit (FR), leaves (LF), seeds (SS) on diabetic Wistar
rats. The glycemic and lipidemic parameters of diabetic rats and the potential cytotoxicity of
aqueous and methanolic extracts of M. charantia were also studied using brine shrimp assay.
Normal control (NC) and diabetic control rats were fed with the standard rat diet while
porridges made with FR, LF, SS and coconut milk porridge (CM) were included into diets of
diabetic rats. The study was continued for three months. Fasting blood glucose was measured
at the end of each month. After three months, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), Creative
Protein, total cholesterol (TC), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were monitored.
Significantly higher feed and water intake was observed among diabetic groups when
compared to NC (p < 0.05). All animals in FR (mean = 40 ± 19 g) and NC (mean = 115 ± 9 g)
groups gained weight in contrast to the other groups. Between the diabetic groups, FR group
had the lowest mean value for fasting blood glucose (FBG) and increment percentage of FBG
(44.38%) and HbA1c (5.8 ± 2.1). Increment percentage of FBG and HbA1c of FR group was
not significantly different (p > 0.05) to the NC (35.16%; 4.7 ± 0.7). Lowest TC level among
the diabetic groups (119 ± 20.6 mg/dL) and highest HDL values (33 ± 6.3 mg/dL) were also
monitored in FR group. The study proved that FR porridge reduced the loss of weight, elicited
hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties in diabetes induced Wistar rats. Methanolic
extracts had a higher cytotoxic potential (LD50 values of water extract was 1000 ppm and 400
ppm where methanolic extract was 80 ppm and 10 ppm respectively after 24 h and 48 h) due
to constituents, saponins and phenolics.
