Fig. 4

PMI5011 and bitter melon modulate lipid metabolism in high-fat-fed female mice: Bitter melon induced a statistically significant increase in total cholesterol, while PMI5011 modestly increased total cholesterol (a). Serum triglycerides were significantly increased by PMI5011, but not by bitter melon (b). Both supplements induced non-significant trends toward increased serum free fatty acids (c). Mixed gastrocnemius homogenates exhibited an increase in the rate of fatty acid oxidation in response to PMI5011 and bitter melon supplementation (d). Fatty acid oxidation rates in mixed gastrocnemius homogenates were suppressed when exposed to pyruvate in the female mice supplemented with PMI5011 or bitter melon, indicating enhanced metabolic flexibility in response to changes in nutrient availability (d). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, as determined by unpaired two-tailed t test. Variability is expressed as mean ± SD