RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Momordica charantia (MC), an annual tropical plant has been reported to possess numerous medicinal properties. The aqueous extract of the plant had been earlier evaluated for its anti-diarrhoeal potential in castor oil-induced diarrhoea model. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of aqueous leaf extract of M. charantia on the activities of the intestinal enzymes in castor oil-induced diarrhoeagenic mice for 48 h-duration. METHODS: Diarrhoea was induced by oral administration of castor oil in mice. Mice in Group 1 were given distilled water; Group 2 received 0.2 ml of castor oil. Groups 3-4 received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the aqueous leaf extract respectively. The animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation at 0, 2, 5, 7, 24, and 48 hours. Enzymatic activities and protein concentration in the intestinal mucosa homogenate were then analyzed at 0, 2, 5, 7, 24, and 48 hours. RESULTS: Effect of graded doses (100-400 mg/kg) of M. charantia on intestinal alkaline phosphatase showed decrease in activity at 48 hours, while the reductive effect was significantly expressed in the castor oil than in the control and extract treated groups. Disaccharidases (lactase, maltase and sucrase) activities were significantly reduced in the castor oil group when compared with the extract treated groups and the control. The reduction in protein concentration was also observed in the castor oil group compared to the control and extract treated groups. CONCLUSION: The aqueous leaf extract of MC increased enzymes activities (maltase, sucrase and lactase) in the extract treated diarrhoeagenic mice enhancing the absorptive role of these enzymes in the small intestine. This could prevent malnutrition and loss of these enzymes in diarrhoeal conditions.