Impact of Momordica charantia (karela) on serum aspartate aminotransferase level in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

The  present  experimental  study  was  conducted  to  investigate  whether  Momordica  charantia  (karela)  has  got  any  impact  on  serum  aspartate  aminotransferase  (AST)  level  in  the  streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Sixty healthy young Long Evans rats of male sex weighing  150 to 280 gm aged between 10 to 12 weeks were used in this study. The rats were divided into  4 equal groups depending on their different sorts of dietary feedings and drug treatment. Serum  AST level was estimated in all rats up to day 51 from the day of streptozotocin/ vehicle injection.  The mean ± SD of final serum AST level as percentage of corresponding initial level (value on  51st day  to  the  value  on  7th day) was  95.1  ±  13.4  u/L  in  healthy  rats,  110.0  ±  7.6  u/L  in  the  untreated diabetic rats, 39.4 ± 10.1 u/L in the insulin-treated diabetic rats and 109.5 ± 23.8 u/L  in  the  karela-treated  diabetic  rats. The AST percentage  change  value  of  diabetic  rats  on  51st  day  corresponding  to  the  initial  on  7th day was  significantly  higher  than  that  healthy  rats  (p    0.05).  Karela showed  a  tendency  of  acting  against hyperglycemic  effects  of  streptozotocin  induced  diabetes  mellitus  and  also  acting  against  high  serum  aspartate  aminotransferase  (AST)  level  in  streptozotocin  induced  diabetes  mellitus.  However,  further  investigations  are  recommended  for  establishing  karela  as  a  safe  and  useful  effective  anti-hyperglycemic  agent  as  well  as  an  agent  acting  against  the  rise  in  serum  AST  level  in  streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.Mediscope Vol. 2, No. 1: 2015, Pages 18-21