Huang, Hui-LingHui-LingHuangHong, Ya-WenYa-WenHongWong, You-HongYou-HongWongChen, Ying-NienYing-NienChenChyuan, Jong-HoJong-HoChyuanHuang, Ching-JangChing-JangHuangChao, Pei-MinPei-MinChao2009-07-232018-07-062009-07-232018-07-062008http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw//handle/246246/162623Bitter melon (Momordica charantia; BM) has been shown to ameliorate diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. To examine the effect of BM supplementation on cell size and lipid metabolism in adipose tissues, three groups of rats were respectively fed a high-fat diet supplemented without (HF group) or with 5% lyophilised BM powder (HFB group), or with 0.01% thiazolidinedione (TZD) (HFT group). A group of rats fed a low-fat diet was also included as a normal control. Hyperinsulinaemia and glucose intolerance were observed in the HF group but not in HFT and HFB groups. Although the number of large adipocytes (>180 μm) of both the HFB and HFT groups was significantly lower than that of the HF group, the adipose tissue mass, TAG content and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity of the HFB group were significantly lower than those of the HFT group, implying that BM might reduce lipogenesis in adipose tissue. Experiment 2 was then conducted to examine the expression of lipogenic genes in adipose tissues of rats fed low-fat, HF or HFB diets. The HFB group showed significantly lower mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1, lipoprotein lipase and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein than the HF group (P < 0.05). These results indicate BM can reduce insulin resistance as effective as the anti-diabetic drug TZD. Furthermore, BM can suppress the visceral fat accumulation and inhibit adipocyte hypertrophy, which may be associated with markedly down regulated expressions of lipogenic genes in the adipose. ? 2007 The Authors.application/pdf258501 bytesapplication/pdfen-USAdipocyte hypertrophy; Bitter melon; Lipogenic genes; Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; Thiazolidinedione[SDGs]SDG3acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase; fatty acid binding protein; fatty acid synthase; glucose; glycerol 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (NAD); insulin; lipoprotein lipase; Momordica charantia extract; pioglitazone; triacylglycerol; adipose tissue cell; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; article; cell size; controlled study; down regulation; gene expression; glucose blood level; glucose intolerance; hyperinsulinemia; insulin blood level; insulin resistance; lipid metabolism; lipogenesis; lipohypertrophy; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; obesity; oral glucose tolerance test; rat; RNA isolation; triacylglycerol blood level; weight reduction; Adipocytes; Adipose Tissue; Animals; Anti-Obesity Agents; Cell Size; Diet; Dietary Fats; Dietary Supplements; Down-Regulation; Eating; Glucose Tolerance Test; Hypertrophy; Insulin Resistance; Lipid Metabolism; Lipogenesis; Male; Momordica charantia; Obesity; Organ Size; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Weight Gain; Cucumis; Momordica charantia; Rattus10.1017/S0007114507793947http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw/bitstream/246246/162623/1/35.pdf