香瓜茄（ Pepino，Melonpear）又名香瓜梨，學名為Solanum muricatum Ait，屬茄科。香瓜茄為一耐逆境之植物， 適合澎湖地區栽種，澎湖農民慣稱楊梅，相傳是高血壓及糖尿病患之保健植物，為澎湖地區新興高經濟價值之農作物。但至目前為止，有關香瓜茄之生理研究仍相當缺乏，雖民間謂之有降血糖及膽固醇等方面之效果，缺乏科學證實。另一方面，已有報告指出香瓜茄萃取物有抑制癌細胞增殖的作用， 因此強烈懷疑此一水果還有其他生理功能或醫療價值， 因此本計畫擬將此水果抗糖尿病之生理作用作一詳盡之探討。相傳香瓜茄具有降血糖之效用， 而其他茄科類植物則具有抗氧化之作用， 故本研究將探討香瓜茄之抗氧化作用及改善糖尿病的效果。將Balb/c 小白鼠誘發產生糖尿病(Type I 及Type II)，再以香瓜茄萃取並濃縮後的產物， 於誘發前後，混入飼料內分別餵食四、八及十二週後，犧牲小白鼠觀察血中血糖、脂質及相關醣化代謝(polyol pathway)之變化，同時亦藉由糖尿病model 本態上應會造成高氧化傷害，因此亦可同時追蹤血中氧化值、抗氧化酵素活性等之變化。本實驗於第一年先以香瓜茄成分給予STZ 誘發糖尿病(TypeI)小白鼠， 觀察餵食誘發前後之血中及肝中之抗氧化成分，血糖變化等之追縱探討。第二年則比較利用誘發TypeII 糖尿病之小白鼠以香瓜茄餵食前後之血糖、血脂、氧化及醣化等。第三年則以不同溶劑萃取香瓜茄之不同極性成份，再利用培養人類臍帶內皮細胞在高葡萄糖之壓力下添加這些萃取後的成分，以測試其對於抗氧化作用及polyol pathway 之影響。本研究完成後， 預期可知悉香瓜茄對抗氧化作用及糖尿病之生理影響，並可提高學術界對香瓜茄之了解， 可能也有助於提升香瓜茄之經濟價值。
Pepino Melon pear (Solanum muricatum Ait) is a popular plant food in Penghu. It is not commonly vegetated in Taiwan island, less attention about medical effects was paid to it. The residences in Penghu area usually think it is a fruit, and consider it as an anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic food. Furthermore, it is said that the intake of this fruit could reduce cholesterol and triglyceride. However, the biochemical evidence regarding its protective effect on the regulation and/or influence of diabetes is lack. Other literatures indicated the extract of this food might inhibit cancer cell proliferation. In order to ensure the contribution of this fruit toward consumers, this research project is designed. This is a 3-year project. The purposes of this project are to examine the anti-diabetic protection of this fruit via animal models and cell line study. In the first and second years, streptozotocin and/or nicotinamide will be used to induce type I and II diabetes in Balb/c mice. The extract from pepino melon pear will be fed to these diabetic mice for 4, 8 or 12 weeks. Several measurements including glycemic control, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, the activity of aldose reductase, antioxidant associated enzymes etc. will be processed to evaluate the in vivo influence of this fruit in diabetic mice. In the third year, different solvents will be used to separate components with different polarity, and then HUVEC will be used to examine the effects and action mode of these components against high glucose stress. The results from this project could provide novel evidence regarding the medical effects of this fruit, which can enhance our understanding about this food. The possible action mode of this fruit will be elucidated. These results will benefit consumers and agricultural vegetation farmers to encourage the cultivation and intake of this fruit.
