Inductive effects of fractions of crude water-soluble extract of Momordica charantia on rat liver mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore

Abstract

Background: The mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MMPT) pore opening has been implicated as a final cell death pathway in numerous diseases and therefore understanding conditions dictating this opening is crucial for developing targeted therapies. Cells committed to suicide, signal the release of cytochrome c from the inner mitochondrial membrane; a point of no return in the intrinsic/mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. The efficacy of Momordica charantia (MC) against certain cancers has been linked to its ability to induce apoptosis; however, the underlying mechanism of the induction is still unknown. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of leaf extract of MC on the opening of MMPT pore in normal Wistar rat liver mitochondria. Methodology: The leaves of MC were obtaining from the Botanical Garden, OAU, Ile-Ife Campus and was cold-extracted in distilled water to obtain the Crude Water-Soluble Extract (CWSE). N-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol and aqueous fractions were obtained from the CWSE via solvent partitioning. The in vitro effects of these fractions on rat liver MMPT pore and ATPase activity at various concentrations (75,100 and 125 µg/ml) were spectrophotometrically assayed. Result: At all concentrations, all fractions of CWSE of MC show significant induction of the MMPT pore but the highest induction was observed at 125µg/ml of butanol fraction with a 23.56-fold increase when compared with the control group. In the same vein, the ATPase activities were also significantly enhanced by in vitro treatment with all but the ehtylacetate fraction; peaking at 14.13 mMPi/mg protein/min for the butanol fraction at 125µg/ml in comparison with the control group.