1: Int J Biol Macromol. 2007 Jan 21; [Epub ahead of print]
A role of glycosyl moieties in the stabilization of bitter gourd (Momordica
charantia) peroxidase.
Fatima A, Husain Q.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh 202 002, UP, India.
The possible role of carbohydrate moieties in the stabilization of proteins has
been investigated by using bitter gourd peroxidase as a model system. A
comparative study of glycosylated and non/glycosylated isoenzymes of bitter
gourd peroxidase was performed at various temperatures, pH, water/miscible
organic solvents, detergents and chaotropic agent like urea. The pH/optima and
temperature/optima of both glycosylated and non/glycosylated isoforms of bitter
gourd peroxidase remained unchanged. The probes employed were changes in the
enzyme activity and fluorescence. The glycosylated form of peroxidase retained
greater fraction of enzyme activity against the exposure caused by various
physical and chemical denaturants. The unfolding of both forms of enzyme in the
presence of high urea concentrations, studied by fluorescence, indicated greater
perturbations in the conformation of non/glycosylated preparation. The different
properties examined thus indicated that glycosylation plays an important role in
the stabilization of native conformation of proteins against the inactivation
caused by various types of denaturants.
PMID: 17320168 [PubMed / as supplied by publisher]
2: J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Feb 7;55(3):1003/8.
Biotransformation of sinapic acid catalyzed by Momordica charantia peroxidase.
Liu HL, Wan X, Huang XF, Kong LY.
Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24
Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China.
Biotransformation of sinapic acid (1) with H2O2/Momordica charantia peroxidase,
which exists in the widely used food M. charantia, at pH 5.0, 43 degrees C, in
the presence of acetone resulted in six compounds, including four new compounds.
Compound 2 was the first isolation of a new unique sinapic acid tetrameric
derivate, which is formed by peroxidase catalysis in vitro. Besides 2, three
other new sinapic acid dimers, 3/5 have also been isolated. Their structures
were established on the basis of spectroscopic data. Compound 5 showed a
stronger antioxidative activity than the parent sinapic acid (1). Compounds 4
and 5 significantly inhibited the growth of HL/60 cell at the concentration of
10/5 microl/L.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 17263505 [PubMed / in process]
3: Biomol Eng. 2006 Oct 27; [Epub ahead of print]
Polyclonal antibodies mediated immobilization of a peroxidase from ammonium
sulphate fractionated bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) proteins.
Fatima A, Husain Q.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh 202002, UP, India.
Polyclonal antibody bound Sepharose 4B support has been exploited for the
immobilization of bitter gourd peroxidase directly from ammonium sulphate
precipitated proteins. Immunoaffinity immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase
exhibited high yield of immobilization. IgG/Sepharose 4B bound bitter gourd
peroxidase showed a higher stability against heat, chaotropic agents (urea and
guanidinium chloride), detergents (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and Surf
Excel), proteolytic enzyme (trypsin) and water/miscible organic solvents
(propanol, THF and dioxane). The activity of immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase
was significantly enhanced in the presence of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide
and after treatment with trypsin as compared to soluble enzyme.
PMID: 17137839 [PubMed / as supplied by publisher]
4: J Insect Sci. 2005 Dec 6;5:40.
The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae: a review of its biology and
management.
Dhillon MK, Singh R, Naresh JS, Sharma HC.
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi/Arid Tropics, Patancheru,
Andhra Pradesh, India 502324. m.dhillon@cgiar.org
The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae)
is distributed widely in temperate, tropical, and sub/tropical regions of the
world. It has been reported to damage 81 host plants and is a major pest of
cucurbitaceous vegetables, particularly the bitter gourd (Momordica charantia),
muskmelon (Cucumis melo), snap melon (C. melo var. momordica), and snake gourd
(Trichosanthes anguina). The extent of losses vary between 30 to 100%, depending
on the cucurbit species and the season. Its abundance increases when the
temperatures fall below 32 degrees C, and the relative humidity ranges between
60 to 70%. It prefers to infest young, green, soft/skinned fruits. It inserts
the eggs 2 to 4 mm deep in the fruit tissues, and the maggots feed inside the
fruit. Pupation occurs in the soil at 0.5 to 15 cm below the soil surface.
Keeping in view the importance of the pest and crop, melon fruit fly management
could be done using local area management and wide area management. The melon
fruit fly can successfully be managed over a local area by bagging fruits, field
sanitation, protein baits, cue/lure traps, growing fruit fly/resistant
genotypes, augmentation of biocontrol agents, and soft insecticides. The wide
area management program involves the coordination of different characteristics
of an insect eradication program (including local area options) over an entire
area within a defensible perimeter, and subsequently protected against
reinvasion by quarantine controls. Although, the sterile insect technique has
been successfully used in wide area approaches, this approach needs to use more
sophisticated and powerful technologies in eradication programs such as insect
transgenesis and geographical information systems, which could be deployed over
a wide area. Various other options for the management of fruit fly are also
discussed in relation to their bio/efficacy and economics for effective
management of this pest.
Publication Types:
Review
PMID: 17119622 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
5: Cardiovasc J S Afr. 2006 Sep/Oct;17(5):227/32.
Hypoglycaemic and hypotensive effects of Momordica charantia Linn
(Cucurbitaceae) whole/plant aqueous extract in rats.
Ojewole JA, Adewole SO, Olayiwola G.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of
KwaZulu/Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Various morphological parts (roots, stems, leaves and fruits) of Momordica
charantia Linn (family: Cucurbitaceae) are used traditionally in African folk
medicine to manage, control and/or treat a plethora of human ailments, including
diabetes mellitus and hypertension. In order to scientifically appraise some of
the folkloric, anecdotal and ethnomedical uses of M charantia, the present study
was undertaken to investigate the hypoglycaemic and hypotensive effects of M
charantia whole/plant aqueous extract (MCE) in rat experimental paradigms. The
hypoglycaemic effect of the plant extract was examined in normal and diabetic
rats, using streptozotocin (STZ)/ induced diabetes mellitus models. Normotensive
(normal), and hypertensive Dahl salt/sensitive rats were used to probe the
hypotensive (antihypertensive) effect of the plant extract. Chlorpropamide was
used as reference hypoglycaemic agent for comparison. Acute oral administrations
of the plant extract caused dose/related, significant hypoglycaemia in normal
(normoglycaemic) and STZ/treated, diabetic rats. Furthermore, acute intravenous
administrations of MCE produced dose/dependent, significant reductions in
systemic arterial blood pressure and heart rates of normal, and hypertensive
Dahl salt/sensitive rats. Although the exact hypoglycaemic and hypotensive
mechanisms of action of the plant extract remain speculative at the moment, it
is unlikely that the herb causes hypotension in the mammalian experimental
animal model used via cholinergic mechanisms, since its cardiovascular effects
are resistant to atropine pretreatment. However, the findings of this
experimental animal study indicate that the plant extract possesses
hypoglycaemic and hypotensive properties, and therefore, lend pharmacological
credence to folkloric, ethnomedical uses of the plant in the management and/or
control of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in some rural African communities.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 17117226 [PubMed / in process]
6: J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Mar 21;110(2):257/63. Epub 2006 Sep 26.
Effect of exogenous ATP on Momordica charantia Linn. (Cucurbitaceae) induced
inhibition of d/glucose, l/tyrosine and fluid transport across rat everted
intestinal sacs in vitro.
Mahomoodally MF, Gurib/Fakim A, Subratty AH.
Department of Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius.
Momordica charantia (MC) is a common oriental vegetable with known antidiabetic,
laxative and antimicrobial properties. This study investigates the effects of
aqueous fruit extract of MC on the transport of d/glucose, l/tyrosine and fluid
across rat/everted intestine in vitro. Everted intestinal sacs from rats were
mounted in an organ bath containing Krebs/Henseleit bicarbonate buffer. Graded
concentrations (1.5/12mg/ml) of MC fruit extract were incubated in the mucosal
solution with and without exogenous ATP in the mucosal bathing fluid. The
serosal appearance and mucosal disappearance of d/glucose, l/tyrosine and the
fluid absorptive capacity of the intestine were significantly inhibited (p<0.05)
with increasing graded concentrations of MC. The concentration of d/glucose
accumulated or metabolized by the enterocytes in the intestinal tissues were
significantly higher (p<0.05) when incubated with MC. Increasing graded
concentrations of exogenous ATP (25/200muM) were incubated with 3.0mg/ml MC to
confirm inhibition of the ATP/dependent active transport of d/glucose,
l/tyrosine and fluid across rat enterocytes. It was found that increasing
concentrations of mucosal ATP from 25 to 100muM significantly (p<0.05) reverses
the MC/depression of the d/glucose, l/tyrosine and fluid uptake across rat
everted intestinal sacs. It is hypothesized that bioactive phytochemicals such
as saponins in MC fruit extract inhibits the active transport of d/glucose,
l/tyrosine and fluid across rat intestine by inhibiting the production of ATP
responsible for the active transport of these molecules. It is likely that MC
can be a potential alternative drug therapy of postprandial hyperglycaemia via
inhibition of glucose uptake across the small intestine.
PMID: 17092672 [PubMed / in process]
7: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2006 Nov;54(11):1545/50.
Structures of new cucurbitane/type triterpenes and glycosides, karavilagenins
and karavilosides, from the dried fruit of Momordica charantia L. in Sri Lanka.
Nakamura S, Murakami T, Nakamura J, Kobayashi H, Matsuda H, Yoshikawa M.
Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Misasagi, Kyoto, Japan.
Three new cucurbitane/type triterpene called karavilagenins A, B, and C and five
new cucurbitane/type triterpene glycosides called karavilosides I, II, III, IV,
and V were isolated from the dried fruit of Sri Lanka Momordica charantia L.
(Cucurbitaceae) together with two known cucurbitane/type triterpenes,
19(R)/methoxy/5beta,19/epoxycucurbita/6,23/dien/3beta,25/diol and
5,19/epoxycucurbita/6,23/diene/3,25/diol, and nine known cucurbitane/type
triterpene glycosides, goyaglycosides/b, /c, and /d, and momordicosides F1, F2,
G, I, K, and L. The structures of karavilagenins and karavilosides were
elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 17077551 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
8: J Ethnobiol Ethnomedicine. 2006 Oct 13;2:45.
Ethnomedicines used in Trinidad and Tobago for urinary problems and diabetes
mellitus.
Lans CA.
BCICS, University of Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada.
cher2lans@netscape.net.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: This paper is based on ethnobotanical interviews conducted
from 1996/2000 in Trinidad and Tobago with thirty male and female respondents.
METHODS: A non/experimental validation was conducted on the plants used for
urinary problems and diabetes mellitus: This is a preliminary step to establish
that the plants used are safe or effective, to help direct clinical trials, and
to inform Caribbean physicians of the plants' known properties to avoid
counter/prescribing. RESULTS: The following plants are used to treat diabetes:
Antigonon leptopus, Bidens alba, Bidens pilosa, Bixa orellana, Bontia
daphnoides, Carica papaya, Catharanthus roseus, Cocos nucifera, Gomphrena
globosa, Laportea aestuans, Momordica charantia, Morus alba, Phyllanthus
urinaria and Spiranthes acaulis. Apium graviolens is used as a heart tonic and
for low blood pressure. Bixa orellana, Bontia daphnoides, Cuscuta americana and
Gomphrena globosa are used for jaundice. The following plants are used for
hypertension: Aloe vera, Annona muricata, Artocarpus altilis, Bixa orellana,
Bidens alba, Bidens pilosa, Bonta daphnoides, Carica papaya, Cecropia peltata,
Citrus paradisi, Cola nitida, Crescentia cujete, Gomphrena globosa, Hibiscus
sabdariffa, Kalanchoe pinnata, Morus alba, Nopalea cochinellifera, Ocimum
campechianum, Passiflora quadrangularis, Persea americana and Tamarindus
indicus.The plants used for kidney problems are Theobroma cacao, Chamaesyce
hirta, Flemingia strobilifera, Peperomia rotundifolia, Petiveria alliacea,
Nopalea cochinellifera, Apium graveolens, Cynodon dactylon, Eleusine indica,
Gomphrena globosa, Pityrogramma calomelanos and Vetiveria zizanioides. Plants
are also used for gall stones and for cooling. CONCLUSION: Chamaesyce hirta,
Cissus verticillata, Kalanchoe pinnata, Peperomia spp., Portulaca oleraceae,
Scoparia dulcis, and Zea mays have sufficient evidence to support their
traditional use for urinary problems, "cooling" and high cholesterol.Eggplant
extract as a hypocholesterolemic agent has some support but needs more study.
The plants used for hypertension, jaundice and diabetes that may be safe and
justify more formal evaluation are Annona squamosa, Aloe vera, Apium graveolens,
Bidens alba, Carica papaya, Catharanthus roseus, Cecropia peltata, Citrus
paradisi, Hibsicus sabdariffa, Momordica charantia, Morus alba, Persea
americana, Phyllanthus urinaria, Tamarindus indicus and Tournefortia
hirsutissima. Several of the plants are used for more than one condition and
further trials should take this into account.
PMID: 17040567 [PubMed / in process]
9: J Vector Borne Dis. 2006 Jun;43(2):88/91.
Mosquito larvicidal properties of Momordica charantia Linn (family:
Cucurbitaceae).
Singh RK, Dhiman RC, Mittal PK.
National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR), 2 Nanak Enclave, Delhi, India.
Publication Types:
Comparative Study
PMID: 16967822 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
10: J Biomed Sci. 2006 Nov;13(6):763/72. Epub 2006 Sep 6.
Fractionation and identification of 9c, 11t, 13t/conjugated linolenic acid as an
activator of PPARalpha in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.).
Chuang CY, Hsu C, Chao CY, Wein YS, Kuo YH, Huang CJ.
Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Biochemistry,
National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is a common vegetable in Asia that has
been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of Diabetes. PPARs are
ligand/dependent transcription factors that belong to the steroid hormone
nuclear receptor family and control lipid and glucose homeostasis in the body.
We previously reported that the ethyl acetate (EA) extract of bitter gourd
activated peroxisome proliferator receptors (PPARs) alpha and gamma. To identify
the active compound that activated PPARalpha, wild bitter gourd EA extract was
partitioned between n/hexane and 90% methanol/10% H(2)O, and the n/hexane
soluble fraction was further separated by silica gel column chromatography and
finally by preparative HPLC. A transactivation assay employing a clone of CHOK1
cells stably transfected with a (UAS)(4)/tk/alkaline phosphatase reporter and a
chimeric receptor of GAL4/rPPARalpha LBD was used to track the active component.
Based on Mass, NMR, and IR spectroscopy, 9cis, 11trans, 13trans/conjugated
linolenic acid (9c, 11t, 13t/CLN) was identified as a PPARalpha activator in
wild bitter gourd. The isolated 9c, 11t, 13t/CLN rich fraction also
significantly induced acyl CoA oxidase (ACO) activity in a peroxisome
proliferator/responsive murine hepatoma cell line, H4IIEC3, implying that 9c,
11t, 13t/CLN was able to act on a natural PPARalpha signaling pathway as well.
The content of 9c, 11t, 13t/CLN was estimated to be about 7.1 g/kg of our dried
wild bitter gourd sample. The concentration of 9c, 11t, 13t/CLN and activation
activity in the hydrolyzed EA extract of the seeds was higher than that of the
flesh. The potential health benefits of 9c, 11t, 13t/CLN through the PPARalpha
regulated mechanism are worthy to be further characterized in in vivo studies.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 16955349 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
11: Hypertens Res. 2006 Jun;29(6):389/96.
Potassium excretion in healthy Japanese women was increased by a dietary
intervention utilizing home/parcel delivery of Okinawan vegetables.
Tuekpe MK, Todoriki H, Sasaki S, Zheng KC, Ariizumi M.
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine,
University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara/cho, Okinawa, Japan.
Potassium, which is abundant in vegetables, is inversely related to blood
pressure. Although the situation has changed somewhat in recent years, the
Okinawan diet has generally included a large amount of vegetables, and until
recently Okinawans had the lowest rates of mortality due to stroke and coronary
heart disease in Japan. Based on the hypothesis that these low mortality rates
are partly attributable to increased potassium intake resulting from the high
vegetable consumption, this study examined whether increasing the consumption of
typical yellow/green Okinawan vegetables increases potassium intake. The purpose
of this investigation was to determine whether increased consumption of these
vegetables should be one of the dietary modifications recommended in public
health promotion programs for Okinawans. The study employed 56 healthy,
normotensive, free/living Japanese women aged 18/38 years living in Okinawa.
They were randomized to a dietary intervention group (n=27) or a control group
(n=29). Members of the dietary intervention group received an average weight of
371.4 g/day of a combination of the following vegetables twice weekly through an
express home parcel deliver service for a period of 14 days: Goya (Momordica
charantia), green papaya (Carica papaya), Handama (Gynura bicolor), Karashina
(Brassica juncea), Njana (Crepidiastrum lanceolatium), Fuchiba (Artemisia
vulgaris) and Fudanso (Beta vulgaris); and they consumed an average of 144.9
g/day, resulting in a 20.5% increase in their urinary potassium excretion over
the baseline (p=0.045). The members of the control group were asked to avoid
these vegetables, and the change in potassium excretion in this group was not
significant (p=0.595). Urinary sodium and magnesium excretions, systolic and
diastolic blood pressures, folic acid, triglycerides and serum high density
lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and total
cholesterols changed non/significantly in both groups. Also, post/intervention
urinary potassium excretion correlated positively with vegetable consumption in
both the dietary intervention (p<0.0001) and control (p=0.008) groups and with
Okinawan vegetable intake in the dietary intervention group (p=0.0004).
Publication Types:
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 16940700 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
12: J Nat Prod. 2006 Aug;69(8):1168/71.
Cucurbitane/type triterpenoids from Momordica charantia.
Chang CI, Chen CR, Liao YW, Cheng HL, Chen YC, Chou CH.
Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Pingtung University of Science and
Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Five new cucurbitane/type triterpenes,
(23E)/25/methoxycucurbit/23/ene/3beta,7beta/diol (1),
(23E)/cucurbita/5,23,25/triene/3beta,7beta/diol (2),
(23E)/25/hydroxycucurbita/5,23/diene/3,7/dione (3),
(23E)/cucurbita/5,23,25/triene/3,7/dione (4), and
(23E)/5beta,19/epoxycucurbita/6,23/diene/3beta,25/diol (5), together with one
known triterpene, (23E)/5beta,19/epoxy/25/methoxycucurbita/6,23/dien/3beta/ol
(6), have been isolated from the methanol extract of the stems of Momordica
charantia. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic
methods.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 16933869 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
13: Nutr Rev. 2006 Jul;64(7 Pt 1):331/7.
Bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia): A dietary approach to hyperglycemia.
Krawinkel MB, Keding GB.
Department of International Nutrition, Institute of Nutritional Science,
Justus/Liebig/University, Giessen, Germany. michael.krawinkel@uni/giessen.de
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a vegetable with pantropical distribution.
It contains substances with antidiabetic properties such as charantin, vicine,
and polypeptide/p, as well as other unspecific bioactive components such as
antioxidants. Metabolic and hypoglycemic effects of bitter gourd extracts have
been demonstrated in cell culture, animal, and human studies. The mechanism of
action, whether it is via regulation of insulin release or altered glucose
metabolism and its insulin/like effect, is still under debate. Adverse effects
are also known. Nevertheless, bitter gourd has the potential to become a
component of the diet or a dietary supplement for diabetic and prediabetic
patients. Well/designed interdisciplinary research by nutritionists, medical
doctors, and agronomists is needed before a dietary recommendation can be given
and a product brought to the market.
Publication Types:
Review
PMID: 16910221 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
14: Br J Pharmacol. 2006 Aug;148(8):1156/64. Epub 2006 Jul 3.
Lipid lowering effects of Momordica charantia (Bitter Melon) in HIV/1/protease
inhibitor/treated human hepatoma cells, HepG2.
Nerurkar PV, Lee YK, Linden EH, Lim S, Pearson L, Frank J, Nerurkar VR.
Laboratory of Metabolic Disorders and Alternative Medicine, Department of
Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and
Human Resources, Room 415H, East/West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
pratibha@hawaii.edu
1. Hyperlipidemic effects of HIV/1/protease inhibitors (PI) are associated with
increased hepatic production of triglyceride (TG)/rich lipoproteins, rather than
lipoprotein clearance. PI are known to increase apolipoprotein B (apoB)
secretion, apoC/III mRNA expression and decrease apoA/1 secretion. Nutritional
therapy remains an important strategy to manage PI/associated hyperlipidemia. 2.
This study investigated the in vitro efficacy of Asian vegetable, Momordica
charantia or bitter melon (BM) to ameliorate PI/associated apoB and lipid
abnormalities in HepG2 cells. 3. Our study demonstrates that bitter melon juice
(BMJ) significantly reduced apoB secretion and apoC/III mRNA expression and
normalized apoA/I expression in PI/treated HepG2 cells. BMJ also significantly
reduced cellular TG and microsomal TG transfer protein, suggesting that lipid
bioavailability and lipidation of apoB assembly may play a role in decreased
apoB secretion. 4. Identifying molecular targets of BM may offer alternative
dietary strategies to decrease PI/associated hyperlipidemia and improve quality
of life among HIV/1/infected patients.
Publication Types:
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 16847441 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
15: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2006 Jul;54(7):1017/21.
Momordica charantia constituents and antidiabetic screening of the isolated
major compounds.
Harinantenaina L, Tanaka M, Takaoka S, Oda M, Mogami O, Uchida M, Asakawa Y.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University; Yamashiro/cho,
Tokushima 770/8514, Japan.
Bioguided fractionation of the methanol extract of Momordica charantia dried
gourds led to the isolation of three new cucurbitane triterpenoids (1/3),
together with eight known compounds (4/11). The aglycone of momordicoside I was
isolated from the ether soluble fraction in a high amount. The structures of the
metabolites were established on the basis of one and two dimensional NMR
spectroscopic evidence, X/ray analysis, and comparison with the reported data in
the literature. A number of phytochemicals have been isolated from Momordica
charantia but the constituents responsible for the
hypoglycaemic/antihyperglycaemic activities have not been determined. Therefore,
in order to evaluate the contribution of the cucurbitane triterpenoids of the
ether fraction of M. charantia methanol extract to in vivo anti/diabetic
effects, the major compounds,
5beta,19/epoxy/3beta,25/dihydroxycucurbita/6,23(E)/diene (4), and
3beta,7beta,25/trihydroxycucurbita/5,23(E)/dien/19/al (5) have been tested and
have shown blood hypoglycaemic effects in the diabetes/induced male ddY mice
strain at 400 mg/kg. The two aglycones of charantin did not show any
hypoglycaemic effects. Our finding is the first demonstration that major pure
cucurbutanoid compounds of M. charantia have in vivo hypoglycaemic effects.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 16819222 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
16: J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Nov 24;108(2):236/42. Epub 2006 May 26.
Some toxicological studies of Momordica charantia L. on albino rats in normal
and alloxan diabetic rats.
Abd El Sattar El Batran S, El/Gengaihi SE, El Shabrawy OA.
Pharmacology Department, National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
Momordica charantia L. (MC) (Cucurbitaceae) commonly known as balsam pear,
bitter gourd or karela, used in several purposes in traditional medicine is an
important medicinal plant. Two sets of experiments were carried out, the first
experiment indicated that the LD(50) for MC juice and alcoholic extracts were
91.9 and 362.34 mg/100g b.wt., respectively, of subcutaneously "s.c." injected
mice. The toxic signs were recorded within the first 24 h post/injection. The
second experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of MC juice and alcoholic
extracts on blood glucose and other biochemical parameters in normal and
diabetic rats. Both extracts induced a significant decrease in serum glucose
levels in normal and diabetic rats. The two extracts did not show any
significant effect in urea, creatinine, ALT, AST and AP in normal rat, while in
diabetic rats the two extracts caused a significant decrease in serum urea,
creatinine, ALT, AST, AP, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Also, these
results suggested that MC extracts possesses anti/diabetic, hepato/renal
protective and hypolipidemic effect in alloxan/induced diabetic rats. Thus, MC
is alternative therapy that has primarily been used for lowering blood glucose
levels in patients with diabetes mellitus.
PMID: 16815658 [PubMed / in process]
17: Chemosphere. 2006 Nov;65(7):1228/35. Epub 2006 Jun 9.
Potential applications of immobilized bitter gourd (Momordica charantia)
peroxidase in the removal of phenols from polluted water.
Akhtar S, Husain Q.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh 202002, UP, India.
The potential applications of immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase in the
treatment of model wastewater contaminated with phenols have been investigated.
The synthetic water was treated with soluble and immobilized enzyme preparations
under various experimental conditions. Maximum removal of phenols was found in
the buffers of pH values 5.0/6.0 and at 40 degrees C in the presence of 0.75 mM
H(2)O(2). Fourteen different phenols were independently treated with soluble and
immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase in the buffer of pH 5.6 at 37 degrees C.
Chlorinated phenols and native phenol were significantly removed while other
substituted phenols were marginally removed by the treatment. Phloroglucinol and
pyrogallol were recalcitrant to the action of bitter gourd peroxidase.
Immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase preparation was capable of removing
remarkably high percentage of phenols from the phenolic mixtures. Significantly
higher level of total organic carbon was removed from the model wastewater
containing individual phenol or complex mixture of phenols by immobilized bitter
gourd peroxidase as compared to the soluble enzyme. 2,4/dichlorophenol and a
phenolic mixture were also treated in a stirred batch reactor with fixed
quantity of enzyme for longer duration. The soluble bitter gourd peroxidase
ceased to function after 3h while the immobilized enzyme was active even after
6h of incubation with phenolic solutions.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
PMID: 16764905 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
18: Phytochemistry. 2006 Jun;67(12):1166/76. Epub 2006 Jun 9.
Conjugated fatty acids accumulate to high levels in phospholipids of
metabolically engineered soybean and Arabidopsis seeds.
Cahoon EB, Dietrich CR, Meyer K, Damude HG, Dyer JM, Kinney AJ.
USDA/ARS Plant Genetics Research Unit, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975
North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA. ecahoon@danforthcenter.org
Expression of Delta(12)/oleic acid desaturase/related fatty acid conjugases from
Calendula officinalis, Momordica charantia, and Vernicia fordii in seeds of
soybean (Glycine max) or an Arabidopsis thaliana fad3/fae1 mutant was
accompanied by the accumulation of the conjugated fatty acids calendic acid or
alpha/eleostearic acid to amounts as high as 20% of the total fatty acids.
Conjugated fatty acids, which are synthesized from phosphatidylcholine
(PC)/linked substrates, accumulated in PC and phosphatidylethanolamine, and
relative amounts of these fatty acids were higher in PC than in triacylglycerol
(TAG) in the transgenic seeds. The highest relative amounts of conjugated fatty
acids were detected in PC from seeds of soybean and A. thaliana that expressed
the C. officinalis and M. charantia conjugases, where they accounted for nearly
25% of the fatty acids of this lipid class. In these seeds, >85% of the
conjugated fatty acids in PC were detected in the sn/2 position, and these fatty
acids were also enriched in the sn/2 position of TAG. In marked contrast to the
transgenic seeds, conjugated fatty acids composed <1.5% of the fatty acids in PC
from seeds of five unrelated species that naturally synthesize a variety of
conjugated fatty acid isomers, including seeds that accumulate conjugated fatty
acids to >80% of the total fatty acids. These results suggest that soybean and
A. thaliana seeds are deficient in their metabolic capacity to selectively
catalyze the flux of conjugated fatty acids from their site of synthesis on PC
to storage in TAG.
Publication Types:
Comparative Study
PMID: 16762380 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
19: Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Jun;29(6):1126/31.
Slow Acting Protein Extract from Fruit Pulp of Momordica charantia with Insulin
Secretagogue and Insulinomimetic Activities.
Yibchok/Anun S, Adisakwattana S, Yao CY, Sangvanich P, Roengsumran S, Hsu WH.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn
University.
The protein from Thai bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) fruit pulp was
extracted and studied for its hypoglycemic effect. Subcutaneous administration
of the protein extract (5, 10 mg/kg) significantly and markedly decreased plasma
glucose concentrations in both normal and streptozotocin/induced diabetic rats
in a dose/dependent manner. The onset of the protein extract/induced
antihyperglycemia/hypoglycemia was observed at 4 and 6 h in diabetic and normal
rats, respectively. This protein extract also raised plasma insulin
concentrations by 2 fold 4 h following subcutaneous administration. In perfused
rat pancreas, the protein extract (10 mug/ml) increased insulin secretion, but
not glucagon secretion. The increase in insulin secretion was apparent within 5
min of administration and was persistent during 30 min of administration.
Furthermore, the protein extract enhanced glucose uptake into C(2)C(12) myocytes
and 3T3/L1 adipocytes. Time course experiments performed in rat adipocytes
revealed that M. charantia protein extract significantly increased glucose
uptake after 4 and 6 h of incubation. Thus, the M. charantia protein extract, a
slow acting chemical, exerted both insulin secretagogue and insulinomimetic
activities to lower blood glucose concentrations in vivo.
PMID: 16755004 [PubMed / in process]
20: Curr Med Chem. 2006;13(10):1203/18.
Antidiabetic agents from medicinal plants.
Jung M, Park M, Lee HC, Kang YH, Kang ES, Kim SK.
Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 120/749, Korea.
mjung@yonsei.ac.kr
Currently available therapeutic options for non/insulin/dependent diabetes
mellitus, such as dietary modification, oral hypoglycemics, and insulin, have
limitations of their own. Many natural products and herbal medicines have been
recommended for the treatment of diabetes. The present paper reviews medicinal
plants that have shown experimental or clinical antidiabetic activity and that
have been used in traditional systems of medicine; the review also covers
natural products (active natural components and crude extracts) isolated from
the medicinal plants and reported during 2001 to 2005. Many kinds of natural
products, such as terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, and some others,
have shown antidiabetic potential. Particularly, schulzeines A, B, and C,
radicamines A and B, 2,5/imino/1,2,5/trideoxy/L/glucitol,
beta/homofuconojirimycin, myrciacitrin IV, dehydrotrametenolic acid, corosolic
acid (Glucosol), 4/(alpha/rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid, and
1,2,3,4,6/pentagalloylglucose have shown significant antidiabetic activities.
Among active medicinal herbs, Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae),
Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. (Leguminoceae), and Trigonella foenum graecum L.
(Leguminosae) have been reported as beneficial for treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non/U.S. Gov't
Review
PMID: 16719780 [PubMed / indexed for MEDLINE]
