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Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia): A Natural Gift in Support of the Research in Medicine and Biotechnology
Abstract
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is acknowledged to be nature's silent healer. It is a prospective herbal plant applied world widely in traditional systems of medicine (TSM) to modern medicine. It is medically very effective for various diseases such as diabetes, blood coagulation, cancer, menstrual stimulation and several diseases. Momordica fruit is frequently used in TSM, because it is very potent for cure, multidimensional function and reduces the consequences of diseases. Bitter guard is well-known to have hypoglycemic activity. The endeavor of this review is to comprehend the knowledge of plants used in TSM and in applied biotechnology, for researches in relation to formulate their use by eloquent their pharmacological properties, therapeutic agents so that the data and information of this review could be utilized in drawing approaches for coherent and more systematic and scientific use of medicinal plants in an approach that can be complete point of view for scientific and technical analysis in miscellaneous aspects. Here, we would like to light on its contribution in the field of biotechnology, and few highlights from TSM. In addition, we will uncover the supplementary medicinal properties of M. charantia that will help researchers to pull in concert data regarding the fruit effortlessly.
Cancer is considered one of the deadly diseases in the world. According to WHO cancer now causes more
deaths than all coronary heart disease. The incidence and mortality of the worldwide major cancers are now
available in the GLOBOCAN series of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The transition of
global demographic and epidemiologic shows that burden of cancer will increase particularly in low and
middle income countries, with over 20 million new cancer cases expected annually as early as 2025.
Medicinal plants made known to be prospective and useful job for the treatment of several diseases and
disorders from prehistoric days to nowadays. One of the commonly used plants, which have supporting
evidences from the recent scientific data for the different types of cancers, is Carica papaya. Papaya (Carica
papaya) is widely used as folk caloric herbal medicine, being a powerhouse of nutrients and accessible
throughout the year. It is a rich source of three powerful antioxidants, the minerals, vitamins and contains
high content of fibre. Carica papaya has provided many remedies for various diseases from ancient days to
nowadays, and is regarded as a Nutraceutical. Because of this comprehensive medicinal value of Carica
papaya, we are trying here to convey the reports studied especially for the anticancer activities of the age-
old fruit, which will help researchers to pull in concert data and may be a “lead” for the one of the dangerous
disease in the world.
A herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities. Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes. From ancient days to now a day, medicinal plants are a potential and useful for the treatment of several diseases and disorders. Main reason behind of that is medicinal plants is not having any side effects. One of the common tropical vegetable is Momordica charnatia, it has been used in various Asian traditional medicine. In this review, we revealed the medicinal potency of Momordica charantia linn.
Momordica charantia is a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family, is known as bitter melon, karela, and pare. It grows in tropical areas of the Amazon, , Asia, South America India, East Africa and Caribbean, and is used traditionally as both food and medicine. The fruit ripens, the flesh (rind) becomes slightly tougher and more bitter, and many think it too repulsive to eat. On the other hand, the pith becomes sweet and intensely red; it can be eaten uncooked in this state, and is a popular part in some Southeast Asian salads .Momordica charantia have provided many remedies for various diseases from ancient days to now a day. It has been used in various Asian traditional medicines for the treatment of cholera, anemia, diarrhea blood diseases, bronchitis, gout, dysentery, gonorrhea rheumatism, ulcer, colic, worms, disease of liver and spleen, cancer and diabetes etc.In preliminary phytochemical analysis we observed glycosides, phytosterols, alkaloids, phenolic, saponins compounds, fats, proteins, and fixed oils, flavonoids, and thin layer chromatography (TLC) was also performed. The medicinal values of Bitter melon lies in the bioactive phytochemical constituents that are non nutritive chemicals that produce clear-cut physiological effects on human body and protect them from various diseases. Juice of Momordica charantia the leaves used to treat piles totally. Momordica charantia is used as a blood purifier due to its bitter tonic properties.
Keywords: Momordica charantia, medicinal properties, pharmacology
Momordica charantia Linn. (karela) is an herbal climber grown in tropical and subtropical regions, belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. Momordica charantia (Karela) have provided many remedies for various diseases from ancient days to now a day. It has been used in various Asian traditional medicines for the treatment of cholera, bronchitis, anemia, blood diseases, ulcer, diarrhea, dysentery, gonorrhea rheumatism, gout, worms, colic, disease of liver and spleen, cancer and diabetes etc. The main constituents of Karela are triterpene, protein, steroid, alkaloid, inorganic, lipid, and phenolic compounds, which are responsible for biological and pharmacological activities including anti-diabetic, anti-cancerous and anti-tumorous, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-helmintic, antimalarial, anti-ulcerative and immunomodulatory. Combination of its Ayuervedic properties i.e. Gunna, Rasa and Virya (Dry, pungent, light, bitter and hot) makes it the real natures wonder. In this article, general description, traditional uses and medicinal properties of Momordica charantia Linn (Karela) have been reviewed.
Diabetes mellitus (DM), both insulin-dependent DM (IDDM) and
non-insulin dependent DM (NIDDM) is a common and serious
metabolic disorder throughout the world. Traditional plant treatments
have been used throughout the world for the therapy of diabetes
mellitus. Among many medications and other alternative medicines,
several herbs have been known to cure and control diabetes.
Traditional Medicines derived from medicinal plants are used by
about 60% of the world’s population. Diabetes is an important human
ailment afflicting many from various walks of life in different
countries. Medicinal plants provide a potential source of
hypoglycemic drugs and are widely used in several traditional systems
of medicine to prevent diabetes. Several medicinal plants have been
investigated for their beneficial use in different types of diabetes. The
effects of these plants may delay the development of diabetic
complications and correct the metabolic abnormalities using variety of
mechanisms. A considerable number of plants were subjected to
clinical trials and were found effective. Moreover, during the past few years many
phytoconstituents responsible for antidiabetic effects have been isolated from hypoglycaemic
plants. This paper focuses mainly on diabetes, plants used as antidiabetics in various
traditional medicines.
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is an alternative therapy that has primarily been used
for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. Bitter melon's hypoglyecemic
ingredients have been shown in animal and human studies.
Nearly 80 % of the global population still depends upon the herbal drugs for their health care. There has been an increase demand for the pharmaceutical products of Ayurveda in all over the world because of fact that the allopathic drugs have a side effect. In the present context the Ayurvedic system of medicine is widely accepted and practiced by peoples no only in India but also in the developed countries-such as Europe, USA, Japan, China, Canada etc. Plant based therapy are marked due to its low cost, easy availability based on generation to generation knowledge. However, over commercial exploitation of these plant products and frequent degradation of natural resources are reported to be major threats to medicinal plants in India. The aim of the present review is to understand the knowledge of plants used for Ayurvedic preparations in relation to their use as therapeutic agents, pharmacological properties, medicinal plants being imported; medicinal plant parts being exported, endangered medicinal plants and availability of medicinal plants in different bio-geographical zones of India so that the data and information of this review could be utilized in drawing strategies for rational and more scientific use of medicinal plants in a way that can be extended for future scientific investigation in different aspects. The development of this traditional Indian system of medicines with perspectives of safety, efficacy and quality will help not only to preserve this traditional heritage but also to rationalize the use of natural products in health care without side effects.
Cotyledonary explants of two “Egusi” genotypes, ‘Ejagham’ and NHC1-130, were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 carrying either plasmid pIG121-Hm harbouring genes coding for beta-glucuronidase (gus), hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) and neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) or plasmid pBBRacdS harbouring these same genes along with a gene coding for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. Six weeks after co-cultivation, more than 35% of explants produced shoots in both cultivars. A DNA fragment corresponding to the gus gene or the selection marker nptII was amplified from genomic DNA extracted from leaves of regenerated plant clones rooted on hormone-free MS medium containing 100 mg/l kanamycin, suggesting their transgenic nature. Southern blot analysis confirmed successful integration of one to three copies of the gus gene. Transformation efficiencies of cultivar NHC1-130 with EHA101(pIG121-Hm) and EHA101(pIG121-Hm, pBBRacdS) were 3.8% and 10%, respectively, which were higher than those obtained for cultivar ‘Ejagham’ of 2.4% and 5.7%, respectively. Co-cultivation medium containing 5 mg/l BA was effective for obtaining high transformation efficiency for both cultivars as compared with that without it.
Background
Recent research on nanoparticles in a number of crops has evidenced for enhanced germination and seedling growth, physiological activities including photosynthetic activity and nitrogen metabolism, mRNA expression and protein level, and also positive changes in gene expression indicating their potential use in crop improvement. We used a medicinally rich vegetable crop, bitter melon, as a model to evaluate the effects of seed treatment with a carbon-based nanoparticle, fullerol [C60(OH)20], on yield of plant biomass and fruit characters, and phytomedicine contents in fruits.
Results
We confirmed the uptake, translocation and accumulation of fullerol through bright field imaging and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy. We observed varied effects of seed treatment at five concentrations, including non-consequential and positive, on plant biomass yield, fruit yield and its component characters, and content of five phytomedicines in fruits. Fullerol-treatment resulted in increases up to 54% in biomass yield and 24% in water content. Increases of up to 20% in fruit length, 59% in fruit number, and 70% in fruit weight led to an improvement up to 128% in fruit yield. Contents of two anticancer phytomedicines, cucurbitacin-B and lycopene, were enhanced up to 74% and 82%, respectively, and contents of two antidiabetic phytomedicines, charantin and insulin, were augmented up to 20% and 91%, respectively. Non-significant correlation inter se plant biomass, fruit yield, phytomedicine content and water content evidenced for separate genetic control and biosynthetic pathways for production of plant biomass, fruits, and phytomedicines in fruits, and also no impact of increased water uptake.
Conclusions
While our results indicated possibility of improving crop yield and quality by using proper concentrations of fullerol, extreme caution needs to be exercised given emerging knowledge about accumulation and toxicity of nanoparticles in bodily tissues.
An efficient protocol for in vitro organogenesis was achieved from callus-derived immature and mature leaf explants of Momordica charantia, a very important vegetable and medicinal plant. Calluses were induced from immature leaf explants excised from in vitro
(15-day-old seedlings) mature leaf explants of vivo plants (45 days old). The explants were grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS)
medium with Gamborg (B5) vitamins containing 30gl−1 sucrose, 2.2gl−1 Gelrite, and 7.7μM naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) with 2.2μM thidiazuron (TDZ). Regeneration of adventitious shoots from
callus (30–40 shoots per explant) was achieved on MS medium containing 5.5μM TDZ, 2.2μM NAA, and 3.3μM silver nitrate (AgNO3). The shoots (1.0cm length) were excised from callus and elongated in MS medium fortified with 3.5μM gibberellic acid (GA3). The elongated shoots were rooted in MS medium supplemented with 4.0μM indole 3-butyric acid (IBA). Rooted plants were
acclimatized in the greenhouse and subsequently established in soil with a survival rate of 90%. This protocol yielded an
average of 40 plants per leaf explant with a culture period of 98days.
KeywordsAdventitious shoots-Growth regulators-Organogenic callus-Hardening
The aim of the present study was to investigate the invitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of Momordica charantia leaves. In preliminary phytochemical analysis we observed glycosides, alkaloids, phytosterols, Saponins, phenolic compounds, Proteins, fats and fixed oils and flavonoids, and Thin Layer Chromatography was also performed. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated for pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis by using stokes disc diffusion and well diffusion methods. Methanolic plant extract showed a maximum zone of inhibition in E.coli by disc method but in well diffusion method bacilli and klebsiella showed maximum inhibitory activity. The antioxidant activity of the plant extract was also determined by DPPH and ABTS methods using Ascorbic acid and Gallic acid as standards respectively. IC50 values were also calculated.
Ribonucleases (RNases) are ubiquitously distributed nucleases that cleave RNA into smaller pieces. They are promising drugs for different cancers based on their concrete antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo. Here we report for the first time purification and characterization of a 14-kDa RNase, designated as RNase MC2, in the seeds of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia). RNase MC2 manifested potent RNA-cleavage activity toward baker's yeast tRNA, tumor cell rRNA, and an absolute specificity for uridine. RNase MC2 demonstrated both cytostatic and cytotoxic activities against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with RNase MC2 caused nuclear damage (karyorrhexis, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation), ultimately resulting in early/late apoptosis. Further molecular studies unveiled that RNase MC2 induced differential activation of MAPKs (p38, JNK and ERK) and Akt. On the other hand, RNase MC2 exposure activated caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-7, increased the production of Bak and cleaved PARP, which in turn contributed to the apoptotic response. In conclusion, RNase MC2 is a potential agent which can be exploited in the worldwide fight against breast cancer.
Momordica charantia (MC) is used in many Asian countries as a traditional functional food and medicine. Polypeptide-P, a 166 amino acid (AA) polypeptide isolated from MC seeds, has been reported to show hypoglycaemic effects in patients with type I or type II diabetes. The AA sequence of this peptide has been determined, but its gene sequence has yet to be published.
In this study a gene-cloning strategy was employed to obtain the polypeptide-P gene sequence using degenerate reverse transcription polymer chain reaction and genome-walking methods. A complete 498 bp sequence encoding the polypeptide-P protein was cloned from MC seeds. Subsequent assays of the bioactivity of the expressed recombinant protein revealed that it had significant hypoglycaemic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. This result suggests that recombinant polypeptide-P has hypoglycaemic effects.
This is the first report of cloning and expression of the MC polypeptide-P gene. The cloned gene could be helpful for exploring the mechanisms of polypeptide-P gene expression and regulation in MC. Furthermore, this gene could be used as a potential tool both for screening MC varieties with high hypoglycaemically active substance content and for breeding new varieties of MC with high economic value, which could in turn be beneficial to farmers.
The uptake, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and risks of nanomaterials (NMs) for food crops are still not well understood. Very few NMs and plant species have been studied, mainly at the very early growth stages of the plants. Most of the studies, except one with multiwalled carbon nanotubes performed on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and another with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on ryegrass, reported the effect of NMs on seed germination or 15-day-old seedlings. Very few references describe the biotransformation of NMs in food crops, and the possible transmission of the NMs to the next generation of plants exposed to NMs is unknown. The possible biomagnification of NPs in the food chain is also unknown.
Transgenic Cucumis melo cv. Maazoun containing the neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II) chimeric gene conferring resistance to kanamycin were obtained from cotyledons explants inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens (GV3101) that contained the binary vector plasmid pADI. Transformed shoots were obtained on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1.50 mgl-1 IAA, 0.10mgl-1 BAP, 0.01 mgl-1 NAA and 6 mgl-1 kinetin. Transformants were selected by using only 100 mgl-1 of kanamycin and 4 days of pre-culture. Putative transformants were confirmed for transgene insertion through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. From the inoculated explants, 6.66% produced transgenic shoots.
As the world’s population is projected to reach 10 billion or more by 2100, devastating fossil fuel shortages loom in the future unless more renewable alternatives to energy are developed. Bioenergy, in the form of cellulosic biomass, starch, sugar, and oils from crop plants, has emerged as one of the cheaper, cleaner, and environmentally sustainable alternatives to traditional forms of energy. Handbook of Bioenergy Crop Plants brings together the work of a panel of global experts who survey the possibilities and challenges involved in biofuel production in the twenty-first century. Section One explores the genetic improvement of bioenergy crops, ecological issues and biodiversity, feedstock logistics and enzymatic cell wall degradation to produce biofuels, and process technologies of liquid transportation fuels production. It also reviews international standards for fuel quality, unique issues of biofuel-powered engines, life-cycle environmental impacts of biofuels compared with fossil fuels, and social concerns. Section Two examines commercialized bioenergy crops, including cassava, Jatropha, forest trees, maize, oil palm, oilseed Brassicas, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane, and switchgrass. Section Three profiles emerging crops such as Brachypodium, diesel trees, minor oilseeds, lower plants, Paulownia, shrub willow, sugarbeet, sunflower, and sweet potato. It also discusses unconventional biomass resources such as vegetable oils, organic waste, and municipal sludge. Highlighting the special requirements, major achievements, and unresolved concerns in bioenergy production from crop plants, the book is destined to lead to future discoveries related to the use of plants for bioenergy production. It will assist in developing innovative ways of ameliorating energy problems on the horizon.
The antimicrobial activity of three plants extracts--Momordica charantia, Alstonia boonei, and Ocimum bacilicum on pure and viable cultures of Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi and Shigella dysenterae was examined. Cold maceration method of extraction using 95% ethanol was used for the extraction of the active constituents of the leaves. Filter paper disks which were 6 mm in diameter were used for sensitivity testing. Results showed that the extracts from the leaves of the three plants have some antimicrobial properties against the test organisms which suggest their future possible commercial therapeutic use, although this is a preliminary study.
The RNA molecules are stable under physiological conditions, and can be broken down in vivo only by enzymatic hydrolysis. All RNA molecules are subject to hydrolytic breakdown; this makes their turnover possible. The hydrolytic breakdown of RNA, in addition to the regulation of RNA synthesis at the transcriptional level, plays a major role in the selection of those molecular
Table 1
Classification of RNA-splitting enzymes
species of RNA which are needed by the cell at a given moment of its development. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of the RNA-splitting enzymes in pivotal for the understanding of a number of regulatory and developmental processes in which RNA molecules are involved.
In the Asian sub-continent Momordica charantia and Allium sativum are extensively used as food and are popular in herbal medicine. The two were screened against 15 pathogens and both exhibited broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. As compared to the standard antibiotics. M. charantia demonstrated broader and higher level of activity against most of the organisms. On the other hand A. savitum showed comparable activity to the standard antibiotics. Both M. charantia and A. sativum are proposed as non toxic, safe, broad spectrum antibacterial agents.
An efficient protocol for plantlet regeneration from the cell suspension cultures of spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd.) through somatic embryogenesis is reported. Petiole-derived embryogenic calli were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium augmented with 4.5 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 10% coconut milk (CM). The maximum frequency of somatic embryos (36.3%) was observed on MS medium supplemented with 2.2 μM 2,4-D for three weeks of culture. Ontogenic studies of somatic embryos revealed that the cells destined to become somatic embryos divided into spherical proembryos and then progressed to globular, heart and further differentiated properly into torpedo and cotyledonary stages within 5 weeks. Embryo development was asynchronous and strongly influenced by the 2,4-D concentration. The MS liquid medium augmented with 2.2 μM 2,4-D and 0.5 μM L-glutamine was effective to achieve high frequency of somatic embryo induction (44.5%). The cotyledonary-stage somatic embryos were transferred to MS liquid medium with no plant growth regulators to achieve complete maturation within 7 days. Lack of 2,4-D in suspensions increased somatic embryo maturation with decreased abnormalities. Sucrose was found to be the best carbon source for callus induction, embryo maturation and embryo germination. Relatively, only few numbers of embryos developed into root/shoot when transferred to 1/10 MS solid medium containing 0.5 μM abscisic acid (ABA), 2% (w/v) sucrose and 0.2% (w/v) Gelrite. About 11% of somatic embryos germinated into mor-phologically normal fertile plants within 2 weeks. Regenerated plantlets were successfully hardened, with a survival rate of approximately 60%, and established in the field. This regeneration protocol assured successful embryo induction, maturation and plantlet conversion.
Multiple shoots were induced from nodal, shoot tip and axillary bud of Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd. The maximum number of multiple shoots was obtained from MS medium containing BAP (2.0 mg L -1) and KIN (1.0 mg L -1) for nodal explants, BAP (1.0 mg L -1) combined with Ads (2.0 mg L -1) for shoot tip and BAP (2.0 mg L -1) with Ads (1.0 mg L -1) for axillary buds. Maximum elongation of shoots from nodal, shoot tip and axillary bud explants occurred on MS medium augmented with GA 3 at 0.75 mg L -1 and 1.0 mg L -1 . Elongated shoots were harvested and transferred to MS medium containing IAA (1.0 mg L -1) for root induction. Rooted plants were acclimatized and further successfully transferred to the field. Abbreviations: Ads -adenine sulphate, BAP-N 6 -benzyl amino purine, FAA -formaldehyde acetic acid alcohol (0.5:0.5:9.0 v/v/v), GA 3 -gibberellic acid, IAA -indole-3-acetic acid, IBA -indole-3-butyric acid, KIN -kinetin, MS medium -Murashige and Skoog (1962), NAA -naphthalene acetic acid
A simple and efficient protocol for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) has been developed. Pre-cultured leaf explants were transformed by co-cultivation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harbouring a binary vector pBAL2 carrying the reporter gene β-glucuronidase intron (gus) and the marker gene neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII). After co-cultivation, explants were transferred in to a callus induction medium containing 7.7 μM naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) with 2.2 μM thidiazuron (TDZ), 100 mg L -1 kanamycin and 300 mg L -1 carbenicillin. Regeneration of adventitious shoots from callus was achieved on MS medium containing 5.5 μM TDZ, 2.2 μM NAA, 3.3 μM silver nitrate (AgNO 3), 100 mg L -1 kanamycin and 300 mg L -1 carbenicillin. Transgenic shoots were excised from callus and elongated in MS medium fortified with 3.5 μM, gibberellic acid (GA 3), 100 mg L -1 kanamycin and 300 mg L -1 carbenicillin. The transgenic elongated shoots were rooted in MS medium supplemented with 4.0 μM indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) and 100 mg L -1 kanamycin. The putative transgenic plants were acclimatized in the greenhouse and seeds were subsequently collected from mature fruits. Further, the presence of acetosyringone (300 μM) in the co-cultivation medium, infection of explants for 30 min and 3 days of co-cultivation proved to be critical factors for greatly improving the transformation efficiency. Histochemical GUS assay and polymerase chain reaction of field-established transgenic plants and their offspring confirmed the presence of the gus and nptII genes, respectively. Integration of T-DNA into the genome of putative transgenics was further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. The nptII gene expression in transgenic plants was confirmed by RT-PCR. A transformation efficiency of 7% was obtained.
M.P)-452017 India a Department of Chemistry Chodhary Dilip Singh Kanya Mahavidylaya (M.P) 477001. India b Department of pharmaceutical sciences Dr.H.S.Gour University Sagar (M.P) 470006 India c Shri Arvindo Institute of Pharmacy SaverUjjain Road Indore (M.P) 452013India The aim of present study was to assess the wound healing activity of Formulation, Evaluation, Wound Healing Studies of Benzene-95 % Absolute Ethanol Extract of Leaves of Momordica charantia leaves. of Momordica Charantia fruit was examined for wound healing potential in the form of 10 %w/v solution in the excision wound created on the dorsal side of experimental animals, the 15% w/v extract should considerable difference in wound models and the result were compatable to that of the standard drug betadine (10% w/w) in terms of wound contracting ability and wound closure time. Antibacterial activity of methanol extract of the plant was also carried out as a supporting evidence for its wound healing potential. The mean percentage wound closure was calculated on the 8 th , 12 th , and 12 th , wounding days. The extract treated animals showed tastes epithelisation of wound (27.10 ± 0.19) then the control. The period of epithelisation 25.11±0.01 in case of standard drug 15% betadine ointment.
Momordica charantia (MC) has been used as an alternative therapy for diabetes mellitus. This study analyzed and elucidated therapeutic targets contributing to the hypoglycemic effect of aqueous extract of MC seeds (MCSE) by transcriptomic analysis. Protein ingredients aimed at the hypoglycemic target were further identified by proteomic, docking, and receptor-binding assays. The data showed that MSCE (1 g/kg) significantly lowered the blood glucose level in normal and diabetic mice. Moreover, MCSE primarily regulated the insulin signaling pathway in muscles and adipose tissues, suggesting that MCSE might target insulin receptor (IR), stimulate the IR-downstream pathway, and subsequently display hypoglycemic activity in mice. It was further revealed that inhibitor against trypsin (TI) of MC directly docked into IR and activated the kinase activity of IR in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the findings suggested that MCSE regulated glucose metabolism mainly via the insulin signaling pathway. Moreover, TI was newly identified as a novel IR-binding protein of MC that triggered the insulin signaling pathway via binding to IR.
Unripe fruit, seeds and aerial parts of Momordica charantia Linn. (Cucurbitaceae) have been used in various parts of the world to treat diabetes. Oral administration of the fruit juice or seed powder causes a reduction in fasting blood glucose and improves glucose tolerance in normal and diabetic animals and in humans. Animal and in vitro data support both insulin secretagogue and insulinomimetic activity of the fruit. However, enhanced insulin levels in vivo in response to its administration have not been observed. Although a wide range of compounds have been isolated from Momordica charantia, notably steroidal compounds and proteins, the orally active antidiabetic principle has not been adequately identified. A polypeptide, p-insulin, produces hypoglycaemic effects in humans and animals on subcutaneous injection, but oral activity is questionable. Other reported hypoglycaemic principles from Momordica charantia include the sterol glucoside mixture charantin (fruit) and the pyrimidine nucleoside vicine (seeds). However these are only effective at doses too high to account for all the activity of the plant extract. Principal toxicity of Momordica charantia in animals is to the liver and reproductive system. These effects have not been reported in humans despite widespread use of the fruit medicinally and as a vegetable.
A Practical, Authoritative CompendiumThis handbook catalogs 365 species of herbs having medicinal or folk medicinal uses, presenting whatever useful information has been documented on their toxicity and utility in humans and ani-mals. Plants from all over the world - from common cultivars to rare species - are included in these 700 pages. The toxicity of these species varies, but the safety of each has been formally or informally questioned by the Food and Drug Administration, National Cancer Institute, Department of Agriculture, Drug Enforcement Administra-tion, or Herb Trade Association. Easy-to-Locate Facts and FiguresDesigned to enable fast access to important information, this hand-book presents information in both catalog and tabular forms. In the catalog section, plants are presented alphabetically by scientific name. (The index permits you to locate an herb by its common name.) A detailed sketch of the chief identifying features accompa-nies most catalog entries. For each species the following information, as available, is presented and referenced: Family and colloquial namesChemical contentUses and applications - present and historicalProcessing, distribution, and economic potentialToxicological agents and degree of toxicityPoison symptoms in humans and animalsTreatment and antidotes References to original literature Five Tables of Accessible DataGiven a plant species, you can easily determine its toxins; or, given a toxin, you can discover which plants contain it. These and other data are presented in convenient tabular formats as appendixes to the handbook. Other information contained in these tables include toxicity ranking and other toxicity data (as applicable), such as mode of contact, organs affected, and lethal dose; and proximate analyses of selected foods. These tables are titled: Medicinal Herbs: Toxicity Ranking and PricelistToxins: Their Toxicity and Distribution in Plant GeneraHigh Plant Genera and Their ToxinsPharmacologically Active PhytochemicalsProximate Analyses of Conventional Plant Foods
Bitter melon seeds are a rich source of protein. Optimum conditions for protein extraction from the seeds, determined using a response surface design, were at a pH 9.0 and 1.3 M NaCl. Soy protein isolate (SPI) was included for comparison. Surface hydrophobicity of bitter melon seed protein isolate (BMSPI) (690) was significantly higher than that of SPI (399). Electrophoretograms of BMSPI showed bands at 40 and 55 kDa, and at 22, 25, and 35 kDa in non-reducing and reducing buffers, respectively. BMSPI had most of the essential amino acids and hence could be considered as a high quality protein. BMSPI had a single denaturation temperature (113.1 °C) while SPI had two denaturation temperatures (78.0 and 94.8 °C). The proteins exhibited U-shaped curves with solubilities ranging from 62.0% to 67.5% for BMSPI and 86.7% to 90.1% for SPI at pH ⩾ 7.0. BMSPI had lower emulsifying activity (0.36 vs. 0.73), foaming capacity (39.6 vs. 61.0 ml), and foaming stability (21.5 vs. 25.5 min) than had SPI.
Momordica charantia is a tendril bearing medicinally important vine. Medicinal properties of the plant include antimicrobial, antihelminthic, anticancerous, antimutagenic, antitumourous, abortifacient, antifertility, antidiabetic. Amongst the various medicinal properties, antidiabetic property of M. charantia is of utmost importance to human beings and animals. Mixture of steroidal saponins known as charantins, insulin-like peptides and alkaloids are the hypoglycemic constituents of M. charantia and these constituents are concentrated in fruits of Momordica charantia. Momordica charantia can be considered as an alternative therapy for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes. Although Momordica charantia has hypoglycemic effects, but available scientific data is not sufficient to recommend its use for treating diabetes, in the absence of careful supervision and monitoring. Investigation of the traditional uses of Momordica charantia in India revealed that it is one of the most important plant for ethnobotanical practices. Ethnobotanical uses of this plant in India suggest that it is capable of lowering blood glucose level in diabetic patients. Furthermore, RAPD markers have been used to analyze the genetic diversity among 12 different accessions of M. charantia, collected from different districts of West Bengal. The clustering pattern based on RAPD markers was not in accordance with the grouping based on morphological characters. The presence of SCAR markers in the two varieties of M. charantia namely var. muricata and var. charantia has been determined so that nutritional and medicinal properties could be exploited judiciously.
Transformation of the recalcitrant melon (Cucumis melo L.) cultivars Kιrkağaç 637 and Noi Yarok was accomplished by wounding cotyledon explants by vortexing with carborundum prior to inoculation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The addition of silver nitrate to the regeneration-selection medium reduced the transformation efficiency, as the percentage of the explants forming putative transgenic calli and bud-like protuberances was decreased and no transgenic shoots were produced. Chimeric transgenic plants were obtained after the regeneration of putatively transformed callus, bud-like protuberances, buds and shoots on selective medium with kanamycin. The treatments producing the most buds or shoots from explants after 30–40 days of cultivation were the most successful for the production of transgenic plants. Only treatments where explants were vortexed with carborundum produced transgenic melon shoots of either cultivar. Subculture every 18–20 days on fresh regeneration-selection medium containing 50 mg/L kanamycin after either a relatively high (100 mg/L) or low level (50 mg/L) of kanamycin in the first regeneration-selection medium was necessary for the successful transformation of cultivar Kιrkağaç 637. These techniques are now being used in breeding programs for the production of melon lines bearing resistances to zucchini yellow mosaic virus and cucumber mosaic virus, important viruses limiting agricultural production.
Transgenic cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants were successfully obtained from hypocotyl explants inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which harbored a binary vector plasmid with NOS-nptII, CaMV 35S-I-gus and CaMV 35S-hph genes. Acetosyringone enhanced the efficiency of transformation at the cut surface cells of hypocotyl explants during five days of co-cultivation. Transformed cells were more effectively selected using 20–30 mg/l hygromycin B than using 50–100 mg/l kanamycin. Shoot regeneration occurred within 4–6 wks, and 12 of 21 regenerated plantlets displayed strong GUS expression in the very young leaves. All of 8 GUS-positive R0 plants examined showed single or a few positive bands by Southern blot analysis. The expression of the CaMV 35S-I-gus gene was observed in various tissues and organs of R0 and R1 transgenic cucumber plants.
Phytochemical and antibacterial investigations were carried out on the total extracts of the dried powdered combination of the fruits of M.charantia (cucurbitaceae), E. officinalis (Euphorblaceae) and rhizomes of C. longa (Zingiberaceae). These parameters were studied in comparison with the individual plant ingredients. The combination showed better antibacterial activity compared to the individual plant ingredients alone. The hypoglycemic activity of the combination was found to be higher than M.charantia alone.
A new inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been isolated and purified to homogeneity from the seeds and fruits of the Momordica charantia. This compound, MAP 30 (Momordica Anti-HIV Protein), is a basic protein of about 30 kDa. It exhibits dose-dependent inhibition of cell-free HIV-1 infection and replication as measured by: (i) quantitative focal syncytium formation on CEM-ss monolayers; (II) viral core protein p24 expression; and (iii) viral-associated reverse transcriptase (RT) activity in HIV-1 infected H9 cells. The doses required for 50% inhibition (ID50) in these assays were 0.83, 0.22 and 0.33 nM, respectively. No cytotoxic or cytostatic effects were found under the assay conditions. These data suggest that MAP 30 may be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of HIV-1 infections. The sequence of the N-terminal 44 amino acids of MAP 30 has been determined.
The successful application of various nanoplatforms in medicine under in vitro conditions has generated some interest in agri-nanotechnology. This technology holds the promise of controlled release of agrochemicals and site targeted delivery of various macromolecules needed for improved plant disease resistance, efficient nutrient utilization and enhanced plant growth. Processes such as nanoencapsulation show the benefit of more efficient use and safer handling of pesticides with less exposure to the environment that guarantees ecoprotection. The uptake efficiency and effects of various nanoparticles on the growth and metabolic functions vary differently among plants. Nanoparticle mediated plant transformation has the potential for genetic modification of plants for further improvement. Specifically, application of nanoparticle technology in plant pathology targets specific agricultural problems in plant–pathogen interactions and provide new ways for crop protection. Herein we reviewed the delivery of nanoparticulate materials to plants and their ultimate effects which could provide some insights for the safe use of this novel technology for the improvement of crops.
Aqueous extract of the green fruits of the Indian plant Momordica charantia and purified Momordicatin structurally established as 4-(o-carboethoxyphenyl) butanol were evaluated in vitro and in vivo against kala-azar caused by Leishmania donovani. 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) against Leishmania promastigotes in vitro for the crude extract and momordicatin were 0.6mg/L and 0.02mg/L, respectively. When administered in the hamster model of visceral leishmaniasis, 100% parasite clearance was achieved at a dose of 300mg/kg body weight of crude extract and 10mg/kg body weight of Momordicatin. Fe containing parasite superoxide dismutase (SOD) was totally inhibited when treated with 0.72mg/L crude extract and 0.20mg/L Momordicatin, respectively, whereas Cu-Zn containing SOD present in host remained unaffected. Results reveal that the mode of action of these newly found antileishmanial agents is mediated through inhibiting parasite SOD which is one of the key enzymes of the oxidative burst. It may be proposed from the present study that both crude extract of Momordica charantia and Momordicatin obtained from the fruits of the said plant may be considered as potential candidates towards developing new chemotherapeutics against leishmaniasis.
Lisianthus [Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn] is a popular cut flower crop throughout the world, and the demand for this plant for cut flowers and potted plants has been increasing worldwide. Recent advances in genetic engineering have enabled the transformation and regeneration of plants to become a powerful tool for improvement of lisianthus. We have established a highly efficient plant regeneration system and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of E. grandiflorum. The greatest shoot regeneration frequency and number of shoot buds per explant are observed on media supplemented with 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and alpha-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). We report an efficient plant regeneration system using leaf explants via organogenesis with high efficiency of transgenic plants (15%) in culture of 11 weeks' duration. Further ectopic expression of two MADS box genes, LMADS1-M from lily (Lilium longiflorum) and OMADS1 from orchid (Oncidium Gower Ramsey), was performed in E. grandiflorum. Conversion of second whorl petals into sepal-like structures and alteration of third whorl stamen formation were observed in the transgenic E. grandiflorum plants ectopically expressing 35S::LMADS1-M. 35S::OMADS1 transgenic E. grandiflorum plants flowered significantly earlier than non-transgenic plants. This is the first report on the ectopic expression of two MADS box genes in E. grandiflorum using a simple and highly efficient gene transfer protocol. Our results reveal the potential for floral modification in E. grandiflorum through genetic transformation.
Multiple shoots from the immature cotyledonary nodes of two genotypes of bitter gourd were induced in MS media with GA<SUB>3</SUB>, IAA, IBA, NAA, KIN and BAP. The shoots continued to increase in number for 5-6 weeks. On the medium, BAP 2 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> in combination with 0.1 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> IAA + 2 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> GA<SUB>3</SUB> was the most effective medium for adventitious shoot proliferation from immature cotyledonary node. BGGB1 and BGGB14 genotypes produced over 84 and 80% shoots, respectively on this medium in 6 weeks from the time at inoculation of primary explants. BGGB1 was found to be better in response than BGGB14 in most of the treatments. Rapid and reproducible transformation system for bitter gourd using Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated gene delivery was developed. Immature cotyledonary node from green immature fruits that has been allowed to imbibe was used as explant and regeneration was achieved. Cotyledonary node was co-cultured in MS media with 2.0 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> BAP + 0.1 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> IAA + 2.0 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> GA<SUB>3</SUB>. Histochemical GUS assay of the explants and shoots (newly formed) revealed that they were GUS positive.
A hypothesis is proposed that dietary fiber depleted starchy foods are conducive to the development of diabetes mellitus in susceptible human genotypes.
1. The biochemical characteristics and biological activities of eight Cucurbitaceae plant proteins designated trichosanthin (isolated from tubers of Trichosanthes kirilowii), beta-trichosanthin (isolated from tubers of Trichosanthes cucumeroides), alpha- and beta-momorcharins (isolated from seeds of Momordica charantia), momorchochin (isolated from tubers of Momordica cochinchinensis), luffaculin (isolated from seeds of Luffa acutangula) and luffin-a and luffin-b (isolated from seeds of Luffa cylindrica), were reviewed. 2. The isolation procedures for all eight proteins are based on aqueous extraction, acetone fractionation and ion exchange chromatography. Ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration are steps which may be included to improve purification. 3. The proteins are basic in nature and possess a molecular weight of approx. 30,000. All except trichosanthin are glycoproteins. The content of Asx and Glx residues is high. The N-terminal amino acid residue is Asp. Their amino acid compositions and N-terminal amino acid sequences are similar. 4. Circular dichroism spectroscopic studies revealed that trichosanthin, alpha- and beta-momorcharins possess similar secondary but different tertiary structures. 5. Most of the proteins are immunologically distinct. 6. The proteins exhibit abortifacient, antitumor, ribosome inactivating and immunomodulatory activities. Trichosanthin manifests anti-human immunodeficiency virus activity.
In certain families of flowering plants, a self-incompatibility (SI) locus prevents self-fertilization, by a specific interaction between the S-gene product produced in the pistil and the S-gene products borne on or expressed by the male gametophyte, the pollen grain. The female S-locus gene products for two families showing different types of SI have been putatively identified as major pistil glycoproteins (the S-locus-specific glycoproteins of the Brassicaceae and the S-RNases of the Solanaceae). However, they are distinct in sequence and mode of action. The nature of the S-locus gene product borne by the pollen is still uncertain in both systems.
Single crystals of ribonuclease Mc, a new class of plant ribonuclease from the seeds of the bitter gourd, were obtained from solutions of polyethylene glycol 8000 by the hanging-drop vapour diffusion method. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with cell dimensions a = 67.28 A, b = 75.21 A, c = 38.54 A. The assumption of one monomer per asymmetric unit gives rise to a Vm value of 2.29 A3/Da. The crystals diffract beyond 2.0 A resolution and are suitable for high resolution X-ray structure analysis.
The primary structure of an extracellular ribonuclease (RNase LE) from Pi-depleted media of cultured cells of Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. Lukullus has been determined. This was carried out by analysis of peptides isolated after enzymatic and chemical cleavage of the reduced and S-ethylpyridylated protein.
RNase LE consists of 205 amino acid residues and has a molecular mass of 22666 Da and an isoelectric point of 4.24. The enzyme contains 10 half-cystines. There are no potential N-glycosylation sites in the sequence.
The sequence of RNase LE is homologous with those of self-incompatibility proteins of several higher plant species and with those of a number of fungal RNases. The sequence similarity with the family of self-incompatility proteins is greater than with the fungal RNases, suggesting that the self-incompatibility proteins arose from ancestral RNase by gene duplication after the divergence of higher plants and fungi. Two pentapeptide sequences, i.e. HGLWP and KHGTC (or KHGSC), are present at identical positions in all the aligned proteins, suggesting that they contribute to the active site.
The complete amino acid sequence of ribonuclease (RNase MC) from the seeds of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) has been determined. This has been achieved by the sequence analysis of peptides derived by enzymatic digestion with trypsin, lysylendopeptidase, and chymotrypsin, as well as by chemical cleavage with cyanogen bromide. The protein contains 191 amino acid residues and has a calculated molecular mass of 21,259 Da. Comparison of this sequence with sequences of the fungal RNases, RNase T2, and RNase Rh, revealed that there are highly conserved residues at positions 32-38 (TXHGLWP) and 81-92 (FWXHEWXKHGTC). Furthermore, the sequence of RNase MC was found to be homologous to those of Nicotiana alata S-glycoproteins involved in self-incompatibility sharing 41% identical residues.
HEp-2 cells were infected with herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) or with polio-virus I in the presence of plant proteins which inactivate ribosomes in cell-free systems, while exerting scarce effect on whole cells. Ribosome-inactivating proteins used were gelonin, from seeds of Gelonium multiflorum, an inhibitor from the seeds of Momordica charantia, dianthin 32, from the leaves of Dianthus caryophyllus (carnation), and PAP-S, from the seeds of Phytolacca americana (pokeweed). All proteins tested had the following effects: 1. They reduced viral yield; 2. They decreased HSV-1 plaque-forming efficiency; 3. They inhibited protein synthesis more in infected than in uninfected cells. These results strongly suggest that ribosome-inactivating proteins impair viral replication by inhibiting protein synthesis in virus-infected cells, in which presumably they enter more easily than in uninfected cells.