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-PK(1) 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-PK(1) 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 (O(2)(−)). 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 O(2)(−), caused cytotoxicity in the LLC-PK(1) 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.