Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a tropical vine from the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family of plants. The plant is named after the highly bitter fruit that it produces. The fruit is green but turns yellow, and has the texture of a cucumber. Research suggests that bitter melon extracts may possess a number of health effects including anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer and antiparasitic activity. Bitter melon is used in traditional medicine for these purposes. The fruit and leaves may be useful in traditional medicine. Bitter melon may also possess some antidepressant effects. For example, in one study researchers investigated the effects of bitter melon leaf extracts on experimental models of animal behaviour. In this regard leaf extracts were significantly effective at reducing depressive symptoms experienced by mice exposed to experimental stress. The researchers noted that the effects were comparable to the antidepressant drug imipramine. Bitter melon may therefore be a useful mood elevating plant.
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is effective at treating a number of health conditions because of the phytochemicals it contains. In this regard a large number of phytochemicals from different groups have been isolated and characterised. These include saponins, alkaloids, triterpenes, steroids and flavonoids. The immature fruits may also be a good source of vitamin C and carotenoids. Some or all of these chemicals may explain the biological activity of extracts of the plant. In particular, flavonoids, alkaloid and triterpenes have all been shown to possess anxiolytic activity in humans and animals.
Both the leaf and fruit extracts of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) may have medicinal properties. In this regard the whole plant may possess antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. In one study mice administered extracts of whole plants experienced significant antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. The same researchers provided evidence that the effects occurred through activation of the cholinergic, serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine system in the case of the antidepressant effects, and through the GABA systems in the case of the anxiolytic effects.
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