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Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) methanolic extract alleviates alloxan-induced oxidative stress and â-cell damage in rat pancreas

M.A.Nagy, S.A.Mohamed

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible pancreatic protective effects of Momordica charantia methanolic extract (MCE) against pancreas â-cellsÂ’ damage and antioxidant defense systems in alloxan induced diabetes rats. Experimental diabetes was induced by a single dose of alloxan (150mg/kg) administered by intraperitonealway.The oxidative stress was measured by tissue MDA levels, reduced glutathione (GSH) content and by enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in pancreas. Biochemical observations were further substantiated with histological examination of pancreas. The increase in blood glucose and MDA levels with the decrease in GSH content and in enzymatic activities were the salient features observed in diabetic rats. Administration of MCE (300 mg/kg bw/day, orally) for 30 days caused a significant reduction in blood glucose and MDA levels in alloxan treated rats when compared with diabetic rats. Furthermore, diabetic rats treated with MCE showed a significant increase in the activities of both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants when compared to those of diabetic rats. Degenerative changes of pancreatic â-cells in alloxan treated rats were minimized to near normal morphology by administration of MCE as evidenced by histopathological examination.