Momordica charantia improves body weight and glucose tolerance in mice fed high fat diet.

Obesity and diabetes are major public health concerns in the US and worldwide. A high fat diet contributes significantly in the development of these diseases. Momordica charantia (MC), also known as bitter melon, is a widely consumed vegetable in Asia and has hypoglycemic properties. This study compared the effects of freeze‐dried MC with the PPARγ agonist‐ rosiglitazone (rosi), and the known PPARα agonist‐ fenofibrate (feno), on body weight and glucose using a mouse model of diet‐induced obesity. Eight wk old male C57BL/6 mice were randomized to 8 dietary treatment groups (n=20/group): control diet ( ad lib ), control diet (pair fed), high fat (HF) diet, HF + 1% MC (w/w), HF + 10% MC (w/w), HF+1% MC seeds (w/w), HF + rosi (50mg/kg diet), and HF + feno (500mg/kg diet) for 8 wks. Significant differences in body weights were observed within one week of beginning the experimental diet. The final body weights of mice receiving the 10% MC were similar to the mice receiving the control diet ( ad lib ). Rosiglitazone and 1% MC were not able to reduce body weight; however, fenofibrate and MC seeds mildly reduced body weight. HF fed mice exhibited the highest percent body fat. Interestingly, 10% MC prevented the increase in adiposity due to high fat diet. A high fat diet containing 10% MC, similar to rosiglitazone, normalized blood glucose after a glucose tolerance test. Fenofibrate caused an enlargement of liver which was not observed in other treatment groups. The mechanism by which MC modulates glucose and body weight warrants further investigation. (Supported by USDA, #2008‐35200‐18692)Grant Funding Source USDA