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Current Protein & Peptide Science

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ISSN (Print): 1389-2037
ISSN (Online): 1875-5550

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Review Article

Emerging Antitumor Activities of the Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)

Author(s): Evandro Fei Fang*, Lynn Froetscher, Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, Vilhelm A. Bohr, Jack Ho Wong and Tzi Bun Ng*

Volume 20, Issue 3, 2019

Page: [296 - 301] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/1389203719666180622095800

Price: $65

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Abstract

Bitter melon or bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a common vegetable in Asia and it is distinctive for its bitter taste. As an ingredient in folk medicine, research from different laboratories in recent years supports its potential medicinal applications with anti-tumor, anti-diabetic, anti-HIV activities in both in vitro and animal studies. In this short review, we summarize herein the recent progress in the antitumor aspect of bitter melon with a focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms. Further mechanistic studies as well as clinical trials are necessary to further verify its medicinal applications.

Keywords: Momordica charantia, bitter melon, anticancer, apoptosis, DNA damage, medicinal applications.

« Previous
[1]
Fang, E.F.; Ng, T.B. Chapter 27 Achievements, questions arising and future outlook on the path to discover new medicinal compounds.In: Fang, E.F.; Ng, T.B. (Eds.) Antitumor potential and other emerging medicinal properties of natural compounds; Springer: Dordrecht, 2013.
[2]
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Fang, E.F.; Ng, T.B. Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a cornucopia of health: A review of its credited antidiabetic, anti-HIV, and antitumor properties. Curr. Mol. Med., 2011, 11, 417-436.
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Fang, E.F.; Ng, T.B. Can bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) be a novel therapy for human cancers? Med. Aromat. Plants, 2012, 1, 1-2.
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Zhang, C.Z.; Fang, E.F.; Zhang, H.T.; Liu, L.L.; Yun, J.P. Momordica charantia lectin exhibits antitumor activity towards hepatocellular carcinoma. Invest. New Drugs, 2015, 33(1), 1-11.
[8]
Pan, W.L.; Wong, J.H.; Fang, E.F.; Chan, Y.S.; Ng, T.B.; Cheung, R.C. Preferential cytotoxicity of the type I ribosome inactivating protein alpha-momorcharin on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells under normoxia and hypoxia. Biochem. Pharmacol., 2014, 89, 329-339.
[9]
Fang, E.F.; Zhang, C.Z.; Wong, J.H.; Shen, J.Y.; Li, C.H.; Ng, T.B. The MAP30 protein from bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) seeds promotes apoptosis in liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Lett., 2012, 324, 66-74.
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Fang, E.F.; Zhang, C.Z.; Zhang, L.; Fong, W.P.; Ng, T.B. In vitro and in vivo anticarcinogenic effects of RNase MC2, a ribonuclease isolated from dietary bitter gourd, toward human liver cancer cells. Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol., 2012, 44, 1351-1360.
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Kwatra, D.; Subramaniam, D.; Ramamoorthy, P.; Standing, D.; Moran, E.; Velayutham, R.; Mitra, A.; Umar, S.; Anant, S. Methanolic extracts of bitter melon inhibit colon cancer stem cells by affecting energy homeostasis and autophagy. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med., 2013, 2013, 702869.
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Fang, E.F.; Zhang, C.Z.; Ng, T.B.; Wong, J.H.; Pan, W.L.; Ye, X.J.; Chan, Y.S.; Fong, W.P. Momordica charantia lectin, a type II ribosome inactivating protein, exhibits antitumor activity toward human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Prev. Res. (Phila.), 2012, 5, 109-121.
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Zhang, C.Z.; Fang, E.F.; Zhang, H.T.; Liu, L.L.; Yun, J.P. Momordica charantia lectin exhibits antitumor activity towards hepatocellular carcinoma. Invest. New Drugs, 2015, 33, 1-11.
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