The Butanol Fraction of Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) Scavenges Free Radicals and Attenuates Oxidative Stress.
To investigate radical scavenging effects and protective activities of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) against oxidative stress, in vitro and a cellular system using LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cells were used in this study. The butanol (BuOH) fraction of bitter melon scavenged 63.4% and 87.1% of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals at concentrations of 250 and 500 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the BuOH fraction of bitter melon effectively scavenged hydroxyl radicals (·OH). At all concentrations tested, the scavenging activity of the BuOH fraction was more potent than that of the positive control, ascorbic acid. Furthermore, under the LLC-PK1 cellular model, the cells showed a decline in viability and an increase in lipid peroxidation through oxidative stress induced by pyrogallol, a generator of superoxide anion (O2 (-)). However, the BuOH fraction of bitter melon significantly and dose-dependently inhibited cytotoxicity. In addition, 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a generator of peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) formed by simultaneous releases of nitric oxide and O2 (-), caused cytotoxicity in the LLC-PK1 cells while the BuOH fraction of bitter melon ameliorated oxidative damage induced by ONOO(-). These results indicate that BuOH fraction of bitter melon has protective activities against oxidative damage induced by free radicals.
Department of Food Science, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Gyeongnam 660-758, Korea.
Hyun Young
HY
Kim
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea.
Seung Mi
SM
Sin
Department of Integrative Plant Science, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi 456-756, Korea.
Sanghyun
S
Lee
Department of Food Science, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Gyeongnam 660-758, Korea.
Kye Man
KM
Cho
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea.
Eun Ju
EJ
Cho
LLC-PK1 cell; bitter melon; oxidative stress; peroxynitrite; superoxide anion