Bitter Melon May Help Prevent Breast Cancer

According to a recent stucy in Cancer Research, bitter melon extract, an herbal dietary supplement, exerts a significant effect against breast cancer cell growth and may eventually become a chemopreventative agent.


Bitter melon extract is cultivated in Asia, Africa and South America. Extract of this vegetable is being popularized as a dietary supplement in Western Countries, since it is known to contain additional medicinal constituents such as mormordin, vitamin C, carotenoids, vlavanoids and polyphenols.


Previous research has shown Momordica charantia (bitter melon) to have hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, according to researcher Ray. Because of these effects, the botanical is commonly used in folk medicines as a remedy for diabetes and blood sugar issues in areas such as India, China and Central America.


Ray and colleagues are currently conducting follow-up studies and are also planning a preclinical trial to evaluate its chemopreventative efficacy by oral administration.


source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100223131956.htm