Tuesday Monday July 22, 2014(foodconsumer.org) -- A new study suggests that bitter gourd extract can promote wound healing.  Momordica charantia (MC) or bitter melon is a food commonly used as an antidiabetic, antioxidant, contraceptive and antibacterial agent.  

In the current study, excision wounds were caused on the backs of New Zealand rabbits and treated for 28 days with open wound dressing or cream, dexpanthenol or nitrofurazone or olive oil extract of bitter gourd.  At the end of 28 days, the skin with initial wound area were en bloc dissected and examined histopathologically and stereologically.  

Dexpanthenol is a moisturizer used to treat or prevent dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin or minor skin irritations while nitrofurazone ointment is used as a water-soluble antibacterial ointment to prevent or treat surface bacterial infections of wounds, burns, and cutaneous ulcers in pets.

It was found that the wound untreated in control rabbits had higher amounts of inflammatory cells, compared with treated animals, while the wound treated with bitter gourd extract had the best histopathological outcomes, compared with wounds treated with other two agents. 

The study concludes "the results show that administration of the MC extract improves and accelerates the process of wound healing in rabbits in comparison with the BP and FR extracts." (David Liu)

Reference:  Pi?kin A, Altunkaynak BZ, Tümentemur G, Kaplan S, Yaz?c? OB, Hökelek M.  The beneficial effects of Momordica charantia (bitter gourd) on wound healing of rabbit skin.  J Dermatolog Treat. 2014 Aug;25(4):350-7.