Preliminarily curative effectiveness of long-term bitter melon Momordica charantia saponins administration for the glucose homeostasis of juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fed a high-starch diet

Momordica charantia saponins (MCS) was supplemented to a high-starch diet to ssess the effect on the growth performance, glucose homeostasis modulating factors concerning the attenuated hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia and insulin resistance. Five iso-nitrogenous (30.48%) and isolipidic (5.41%) diets were formulated containing 30% starch (control group, HS), and were supplemented with 100 mg/kg (HS-MCS100), 400 mg/kg (HS-MCS400), 1600 mg/kg (HS-MCS1600) and 6400 mg/kg (HS-MCS6400) MCS on the basis of the HS diet. 450 common carp weighing (6.43 +/- 0.02) g were randomly divided into 5 groups, with three replicates in each group and 30 fish in each replicate. Results revealed that dietary MCS effectively enhanced the growth and feed efficiency and significantly attenuated the glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance triggered by the HS diet. Moreover, 1600 mg/kg of MCS administration fulfilled more efficient and significant improvement of weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein and lipid deposition in the whole body. Alterations of serum biochemical indices revealed that 1600 mg/kg of MCS administration remarkably suppressed the hyperglycemia and hyperlipemia and elevated the insulin sensitivity. Enzyme activity and gene expression analysis of glycometabolism indicated that 1600 mg/kg of MCS administration could attenuate the hepatopancreas insulin resistance by enhancing glycolysis ability, promoting the glycogen synthesis and inhibiting the gluconeogenesis through activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. On all accounts detail, appropriate MCS administration have potential value in the alleviation of insulin resistance, thereby effectually maintain the glucose homeostasis and giving play to growth promoting effect for common carp fed with a high-carbohydrate diet.

Automated summary

Supplementing Momordica charantia saponins (MCS) in a high-starch diet improved the growth performance and glucose homeostasis of common carp. A dose of 1600 mg/kg MCS showed the most effective improvement in growth parameters and blood glucose levels. MCS administration attenuated insulin resistance by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.