Effects of Momordica charantia fruit juice on islet morphology in the pancreas of the streptozotocin-diabetic rat

An investigation was made of the effect of Momordica charantia fruit juice on the distribution and number of α, β and δ cells in the pancreas of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats using immunohistochemical methods. The results indicated that there was a significant (Student's t- test, P < 0.004) increase in the number of β cells in M. charantia-treated animals when compared with untreated diabetics, however, their number was still significantly less than that obtained for normal rats. There was also a significant (P < 0.006) increase in the number of δ cells in STZ-diabetic rats compared to non-diabetic rats. This increase in the number of δ cells was not affected by M. charantia treatment. The number of α cells did not change significantly in M. charantia-treated rats when compared with untreated diabetic rats. Our results suggest that oral feeding of M. charantia fruit juice may have a role in the renewal of β cells in STZ- diabetic rats or alternately may permit the recovery of partially destroyed β cells.