COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF MOMORDICA CHARANTIA AND MOMORDICA DIOICA: AN UPDATE

Momordica charantia and Momordica dioica species belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. Momordica charantia and Momordica dioica climbing creeper plants are used both in the prevention and cure of various diseases and in the food of humans. Momordica charantia is also known as bitter gourds, bitter melon, karela, and balsam pear. Momordica charantia contain phytochemical constituents such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, steroids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, proteins, mucilages and oleanolic acids as well as moisture, ash, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins used as nutritional significance. It has been used in the treatment of tumor, inflammation, antioxidant, diabetes, hyperglycemic, hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, obesity, cancer, viral, viral infections (HIV, herpes, hepatitis, influenza and measles), bacterial infections, asthma, cough, skin disorder,  eye diseases, immunomodulatory, microbial, cardiovascular, wound healing activities. Momordica dioica contains alkaloids, steroids, triterpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, momordicin. It has been used in the treatment of malaria, inflammation, antioxidant, diabetes, hyperglycemic. Both species are great potentiality from the economic and botanical points of view. This paper reviews the work done so far in the Literature Survey of plants Momordica charantia and Momordica dioica.