IMR Press / JIN / Volume 23 / Issue 4 / DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2304086
Open Access Review
Pharmacotherapeutic Potential of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia) in Age-related Neurological Diseases
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1 School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 19839-63113 Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Tehran, 14155-6619 Tehran, Iran
3 Student Research Committee, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, 1985713871 Tehran, Iran
4 Student Research Committee, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
5 Student Research Committee, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, 3614773955 Shahroud, Iran
6 Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 91778 99191 Mashhad, Iran
7 School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, 4513956111 Zanjan, Iran
8 Student Research Committee, Arak University of Medical Sciences, 3818146851 Arak, Iran
9 Student Research Committee, Azerbaijan Medical University, AZ1022 Baku, Azerbaijan
10 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 91778 99191 Mashhad, Iran
*Correspondence: niloofarderavi@sbmu.ac.ir (Niloofar Deravi)
These authors contributed equally.
J. Integr. Neurosci. 2024, 23(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2304086
Submitted: 1 July 2023 | Revised: 29 November 2023 | Accepted: 7 December 2023 | Published: 23 April 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Due to the growth of the elderly population, age-related neurological disorders are an increasing problem. Aging begins very gradually and later leads to several neurological issues such as lower neurotransmitter levels, oxidative stress, neuronal inflammation, and continual neuronal loss. These changes might contribute to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia or mild cognitive impairment, and epilepsy and glioma, and can also aggravate these disorders if they were previously present. Momordica charantia (bitter gourd), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It is used for diabetes and known for its hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects. In this review, we discuss the pharmaceutical effects of M. charantia on age-related neurological disorders. We searched several databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar, using MeSH terms. We searched articles published up until 2022 regardless of publication language. M. charantia is rich in luteolin, which increases acetylcholine in neurons by binding to enzymes in acetylcholine metabolism pathways, including butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase. This binding inhibits the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein by restraining its kinase enzyme. Furthermore, this substance can lower serum cholesterol and has multi-target activity in AD and memory loss. M. charantia can also improve memory by decreasing tau protein and it also has potent antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects. This review highlights that M. charantia has effects on many age-related neurological disorders, and can be a cost-effective supplement with minimal side effects.

Keywords
bitter gourd
M. charantia
age-related neurological diseases
Alzheimer's disease
Parkinson's disease
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