Probiotic Fermented Bitter Melon Juice as a Potential Adjuvant Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: Evidence from Animal Model Research
Abstract
Charantin, an antioxidant with anti-diabetic properties that act as a -glucosidase inhibitor, is found in the bitter melon Mordica charantia (MC). Lactic acid's antioxidant capabilities were enhanced by fermentation using Lactobacillus fermentum. The intention of the study was to compare various treatments to acarbose and examine how each affects blood sugar levels and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels before and after therapy—a technique for experimentation. A total of 28 male Sprague-Dawley rats were utilized. Streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 60 mg/kg was combined with nicotinamide at a dose of 120 mg/kg to cause type 2 diabetes. The animals were randomly randomized into four groups after STZ induction for three days. For a total of 28 days, acarbose (45 mg/100 feed), MC (15 ml/kg BW), and fermented MC (10 ml/ kg BW) were administered. The paired t-test was used to analyze how the data from the pretest and posttest differed. Glucose and Superoxide dismutase SOD concentrations were determined by spectrophotometer and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), respectively. Fixed at 0.05 was the threshold of significance results. Blood sugar levels in the MC and fermented MC group was significantly lower than those in the acarbose group during fasting and after meals. SOD values considerably rose in the groups that received MC and fermented MC but not to the same extent as in those that received acarbose. Acarbose and fermented MC have advantages, but MC significantly increased SOD and decreased fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels.
References
Lacerda, D. C., da Costa, P. C. T., Pontes, P. B., Dos Santos, L. A. C., Neto, J. P. R. C., Luis, C. C. S., ... & de Brito Alves, J. L. (2022). Potential role of Limosilactobacillus fermentum as a probiotic with anti-diabetic properties: A review. World Journal of Diabetes, 13(9), 717.
Venkatakrishnan, K., Chiu, H. F., & Wang, C. K. (2019). Popular functional foods and herbs for the management of type-2-diabetes mellitus: a comprehensive review with special reference to clinical trials and its proposed mechanism. Journal of Functional Foods, 57, 425-438.
Alemzadeh, I., Afarin, M., Dehghan, A., Sani, M. A., Teimouri, M., Seilani, F., ... & Vaziri, A. S. (2021). Clinical uses and survival study of free and encapsulated probiotic bacteria in fruit juices: a review. Applied Food Biotechnology, 8(3), 161-180.
Aspri, M., Papademas, P., & Tsaltas, D. (2020). Review on non-dairy probiotics and their use in non-dairy based products. Fermentation, 6(1), 30.
Khorshidian, N., Yousefi, M., & Mortazavian, A. M. (2020). Fermented milk: The most popular probiotic food carrier. In Advances in Food and Nutrition Research (Vol. 94, pp. 91-114). Academic Press.
Hartajanie, L., Fatimah-Muis, S., Heri-Nugroho Hs, K., Riwanto, I., & Sulchan, M. (2020). Probiotics fermented bitter melon juice as promising complementary agent for diabetes type 2: a study on animal model. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2020.
Grom, L. C., Coutinho, N. M., Guimarães, J. T., Balthazar, C. F., Silva, R., Rocha, R. S., ... & Cruz, A. G. (2020). Probiotic dairy foods and postprandial glycemia: A mini-review. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 101, 165-171.
Torres, S., Verón, H., Contreras, L., & Isla, M. I. (2020). An overview of plant-autochthonous microorganisms and fermented vegetable foods. Food Science and Human Wellness, 9(2), 112-123.
Pan, L., Zhai, X., Duan, Z., Xu, K., & Liu, G. (2022). Systematic review and meta-analysis of Coptis chinensis Franch.-containing traditional Chinese medicine as an adjunct therapy to metformin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 956313.
Yan, X., Yang, C., Lin, G., Chen, Y., Miao, S., Liu, B., & Zhao, C. (2019). Anti-diabetic potential of green seaweed Enteromorpha prolifera flavonoids regulating insulin signaling pathway and gut microbiota in type 2 diabetic mice. Journal of food science, 84(1), 165-173.
Visvanathan, R., & Williamson, G. (2021). Citrus polyphenols and risk of type 2 diabetes: Evidence from mechanistic studies. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 1-25.
Song, X., Zhu, Z., Qian, X., Liu, X., Chen, S., & Tang, H. (2022). Multi-omics characterization of type 2 diabetes mellitus-induced cognitive impairment in the db/db mouse model. Molecules, 27(6), 1904.
Kaur, M., Deep, G., Jain, A. K., Raina, K., Agarwal, C., Wempe, M. F., & Agarwal, R. (2013). Bitter melon juice activates cellular energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase causing apoptotic death of human pancreatic carcinoma cells. Carcinogenesis, 34(7), 1585-1592.
Gao, Y., Li, X., Huang, Y., Chen, J., & Qiu, M. (2021). Bitter melon and diabetes mellitus. Food Reviews International, 1-21.
Leung, L., Birtwhistle, R., Kotecha, J., Hannah, S., & Cuthbertson, S. (2009). Anti-diabetic and hypoglycaemic effects of Momordica charantia (bitter melon): a mini review. British Journal of Nutrition, 102(12), 1703-1708. DOI: 10.1017/S0007114509992054
Rahman, I. U., Khan, R. U., Rahman, K. U., & Bashir, M. (2015). Lower hypoglycemic but higher antiatherogenic effects of bitter melon than glibenclamide in type 2 diabetic patients. Nutrition journal, 14(1), 1-7.
Adinortey, M. B., Agbeko, R., Boison, D., Ekloh, W., Kuatsienu, L. E., Biney, E. E., ... & Nyarko, A. K. (2019). Phytomedicines used for diabetes mellitus in Ghana: A systematic search and review of preclinical and clinical evidence. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019.
Chang, C. L., Lin, Y., Bartolome, A. P., Chen, Y. C., Chiu, S. C., & Yang, W. C. (2013). Herbal therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus: chemistry, biology, and potential application of selected plants and compounds. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013. DOI: 10.1155/2013/378657
Hong, B. N., Ji, M. G., & Kang, T. H. (2013). The efficacy of red ginseng in type 1 and type 2 diabetes in animals. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013. DOI: 10.1155/2013/593181
Rotolo, R. A. (2020). An Investigation of Motivational Dysfunctions in a Rat Model of Effort-Related Choice Behavior: Behavioral and Neurochemical Evidence for Possible Novel Pharmacological Treatments.
Sayeli, V. K., & Shenoy, A. K. (2021). Anti-diabetic effect of bio-enhanced preparation of turmeric in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic Wistar rats. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 12(3), 474-479.
Patra, J. K., Das, S. K., Das, G., Thatoi, H., Patra, J. K., Das, S. K., ... & Thatoi, H. (2019). Experimental Animal Studies. A Practical Guide to Pharmacological Biotechnology, 77-108.
Gao, H., Wen, J. J., Hu, J. L., Nie, Q. X., Chen, H. H., Xiong, T., ... & Xie, M. Y. (2019). Fermented Momordica charantia L. juice modulates hyperglycemia, lipid profile, and gut microbiota in type 2 diabetic rats. Food research international, 121, 367-378.
Mirmiran, P., Houshialsadat, Z., Gaeini, Z., Bahadoran, Z., & Azizi, F. (2020). Functional properties of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) in management of cardio-metabolic diseases. Nutrition & metabolism, 17, 1-15.
Wootton-Beard, P. (2012). Determination of Phytochemicals in Vegetable Juices and Their Effects on Postprandial Glycaemia (Doctoral dissertation, Oxford Brookes University).
Packer, L., Rimbach, G., & Virgili, F. (1999). Antioxidant activity and biologic properties of a procyanidin-rich extract from pine (Pinus maritima) bark, pycnogenol. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 27(5-6), 704-724.
Plaza-Diaz, J., Ruiz-Ojeda, F. J., Gil-Campos, M., & Gil, A. (2019). Mechanisms of action of probiotics. Advances in nutrition, 10(suppl_1), S49-S66.
Wang, Q., & Brubaker, P. (2002). Glucagon-like peptide-1 treatment delays the onset of diabetes in 8 week-old db/db mice. Diabetologia, 45, 1263-1273.
Yan, Y., Zhang, F., Chai, Z., Liu, M., Battino, M., & Meng, X. (2019). Mixed fermentation of blueberry pomace with L. rhamnosus GG and L. plantarum-1: Enhance the active ingredient, antioxidant activity and health-promoting benefits. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 131, 110541.
Tan, S. P., Kha, T. C., Parks, S. E., & Roach, P. D. (2016). Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) bioactive composition and health benefits: A review. Food Reviews International, 32(2), 181-202.
Bai, J., Zhu, Y., & Dong, Y. (2018). Modulation of gut microbiota and gut-generated metabolites by bitter melon results in improvement in the metabolic status in high fat diet-induced obese rats. Journal of functional foods, 41, 127-134.
