WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants - travolekar.ru

Fructus Momordicae
number of beta cells in treated animals, as compared with untreated diabetic
rats, but their number was still significantly smaller than that obtained
for normal rats. There was also a significant (p < 0.006) increase in
the number of delta cells in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes
compared to non-diabetic rats, but the number of alpha cells did not
change. These data indicate that oral administration of the crude drug may
renew the beta cells in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes or alternatively
may permit the recovery of partially destroyed beta cells (41).
The effect of the fruit juice on rats fed a hyperinsulinaemic high-fat
diet was investigated. In a dose–response study (0.375, 0.75 and 1.5%
freeze-dried juice administered in rations), oral glucose tolerance was improved
in rats fed a high fat (30%) diet supplemented with freeze-dried
juice at a dose of 0.75% or higher (p < 0.05). At the highest dose, treated
rats had lower energy efficiency (p < 0.05) and tended to have a lower
visceral fat mass (p = 0.10). In a subsequent experiment, rats habitually fed
a high fat diet either continued to consume the diet or were switched to a
high fat + fruit juice, low fat (7%), or low fat + fruit juice (0.75%) diet for
7 weeks. Rats which had been switched to the high fat + fruit juice diet
gained less weight and had less visceral fat than those fed the high fat diet
(p < 0.05). Supplementation of the high fat diet with the crude drug improved
insulin resistance, lowered serum insulin and leptin, but raised
free fatty acid concentration in the serum (p < 0.05) (42).
Antihypercholesterolaemic activity
A long-term (10-week) feeding experiment measured the effect of a fruit
extract (10 ml 100% fruit juice/kg bw) on blood plasma and tissue lipid
profiles in normal rats and rats with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes.
The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in plasma nonesterified
cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in rats with streptozotocin-induced
diabetes, accompanied by a decrease in high-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol. A moderate increase in the plasma lipid peroxidase
product, malondialdehyde, and about a twofold increase in kidney
plasma lipid peroxidase was also observed. The treatment of diabetic rats
with the fruit extract over a 10-week period returned these levels to normal.
In addition, the extract exhibited an inhibitory effect on membrane
plasma lipid peroxidase under in vitro conditions (43).
The effects of a freeze-dried powder of the fruit on serum glucose levels
and lipid parameters of the serum and liver were studied in rats fed
diets supplemented with cholesterol and without cholesterol. For 14 days,
rats were fed the diets either containing the freeze-dried powder at 0.5, 1
or 3% without added dietary cholesterol (experiment 1) or containing
1% powder with or without 0.5% cholesterol and 0.15% bile acid (ex-
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