Antidiabetic and anti-oxidant effects of methanol leaf extract of Momordica charantia following alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia in rats

Abstract

<strong>Background & Aim:</strong>The plant <em>Momordica charantia </em>is highly valuable having a wide range of medicinal uses with tropical and subtropical regions distribution. This study was conducted to appraise the medicative properties of methanol leaf extract of <em>Momordica charantia (</em>MEMC) on alloxan-induced diabetic rats.<br /> <strong>Experimental: </strong>The antidiabetic influence of methanol leaf extract of <em>Momordica charantia</em> (MEMC) was investigated in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. 50 rats allocated into five groups (A-E) (n =10) were utilized in this study: group A was normal control, groups B to E were induced with alloxan with diabetes established, while group B was not treated, group C received glibenclamide treatment while groups D and E were administered extracts at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively, in a study that continued for 28 days. Changes in blood glucose levels, body weight, haematology, serum chemistry, antioxidant system and histopathology changes were evaluated.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> MEMC elicited significant drop in blood glucose level from diabetic to near normal level, restoring the body weight, haematological and serum biochemical parameters to the basal non diabetic level; likewise the MEMC-treated group elicited a decreased level of oxidant markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) but increased concentration of protein thiols (PT), non-protein thiols (NPT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) indicating its anti-oxidant potential. The pancreas section also revealed repair of distorted pancreatic architecture in MEMC-treated group compared to diabetic group.<br /> <strong>Recommended applications/industries:</strong> The plant exhibited anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant abilities hence could be explored for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.