Assessment of Antioxidant and Quantitative Estimation of Momordica charantia (Leaves and Fruit) Plant of Cucurbitaceae Family

Diabetes mellitus is among the most common disorder in developed and developing countries, and the disease is increasing rapidly in most parts of the world. It has been estimated that up to one-third of patients with diabetes mellitus use some form of complementary and alternative medicine. One plant that has received the most attention for its anti-diabetic properties is bitter melon, Momordica charantia (M. charantia), commonly referred to as bitter gourd, kaela and balsam pear. Its fruit is also used for the treatment of diabetes and related conditions amongst the indigenous populations of Asia, South America, India and East Africa. This paper reveals the free radical scavenging activities of available parts (leaves and fruit) of Kaela plants found in the Chitrakoot region of Madhya Pradesh, India. The free radical scavenging studies were conducted by using DPPH and ABTS methods with ascorbic acid standard. It is important to note that further in vivo studies are required to confirm the obtained results. Present work can only reveal the free radical scavenging properties of selected herbs, but their use as drugs depends on the involvement of pharmaceutical companies.