Dietary kakrol (Momordica dioica Roxb.) flesh inhibits triacylglycerol absorption and lowers the risk for development of fatty liver in rats

Abstract

Kakrol (Momordica dioica Roxb.) is a cucurbitaceous vegetable native to India and Bangladesh. Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia Linn.), a species related to kakrol, has been shown to have pharmacological properties including antidiabetic and antisteatotic effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary kakrol on lipid metabolism in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed AIN-76 formula diets containing 3% freeze-dried powders of whole kakrol or bitter gourd for two weeks. Results showed significantly lowered liver cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels in rats fed on both diets. Fecal lipid excretion increased in rats fed the kakrol diet, and lymphatic transport of triacylglycerol and phospholipids decreased in rats fed the kakrol diet after permanent lymph cannulation. Furthermore, n-butanol extract from kakrol caused a significant concentration-dependent decrease in the pancreatic lipase activity in vitro. These results indicate that the mechanisms of action on lipid metabolism in kakrol and bitter gourd are different and that dietary kakrol reduces liver lipids by inhibiting lipid absorption.

Phytochemical, Phytotherapeutical and Pharmacological Study of Momordica dioica

“…Fecal lipid excretion was increased and lymphatic transport of triacylglycerol and phospholipids were decreased in rats which were fed the kakrol after permanent lymph cannulation. Moreover, n -butanol extract caused a significant reduction in the pancreatic lipase activity in vitro and liver lipids by inhibiting lipid absorption [73]. …”

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): a natural healthy vegetable

“…The decrease was mediated through enhanced excretion of fecal lipid excretion and their lymphatic transport. [111,112] In HepG2 cells bitter melon also ameliorate lipid and PI-associated ApoB abnormalities. Along improving lipid profiles, phytochemicals also decrease apolipoprotein C-III and decrease liver secretion of apolipoprotein B (Apo-B).…”

Dietary <i>Sparassis crispa</i> Reduces Body Fat Mass and Hepatic Lipid Levels by Enhancing Energy Expenditure and Suppressing Lipogenesis in Rats

“…Collected feces were lyophilized for 2 days and then ground. Fecal neutral steroids were analyzed by a gas chromatograph equipped with a SPB-1 fused silica capillary column 0.25 mm 30 m, 0.25 μm thickness, Sigma-Aldrich Japan, Tokyo, Japan using 5α-cholestane as an internal standard as described previously 23 with slight modifications. Neutral steroid levels were calculated based on the sum of the amounts of cholesterol and coprostanol.…”