Anthelmintic activities of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) on helminths: a review.

Abstract

Medicinal plants and their products continue to be an important therapeutic aid for alleviating ailments and maintenance of human and animal health. The significance of plants in medicine remains a greater relevance with the current global shift to obtain drugs from plant sources, as a result of which attention has been given to the medicinal value of herbal remedies for safety, efficacy and economy. The major impediment in the livestock sector is the increasing problems of development of resistance to synthetic drugs or high cost of commercially produced anthelmintic and the side effects they produce than the treatments efficacy in the host. However, the routine use of synthetic anthelmintic drugs has led to the development of anthelmintic resistance, whereby the efficacy of anthelmintic drugs against gastro-intestinal nematodes is becoming ineffective in livestock production. Momordica charantia, also known as bitter melon or bitter gourd, is a popular plant used for treating various kinds of diseases. Its anthelmintic activities on most parasites may be attributed to the high phytochemical compounds contained in the plant such as phenols, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, anthroquinones, momordin and glucosinolates. Previous studies revealed that Momordica charantia possessed antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties. Therefore, medicinal preparations from Momordica Charantia for purpose of treating helminths in animals may play a key role in the treatment of parasitic infections.