Bitter melon and AIDS

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Bitter melonUpdated: Aug 01, 2003 Bitter melon is a plant related to the chinese

cucumber, from which Compound Q is derived. The bitter melon plant (“Mormodica

charantia”) is common in Asia and parts of the USA and is known by a range of

different names such as ampalaya, balsam pear, cindeamor, margose, concombre,

Kuguazi (in China) and Karela (in Pakistan). Its fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers,

stems and roots have been used for centuries in Chinese medicine.

 

The plant has long been used as a diabetes treatment. Juice from the leaves and

fruit has anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties, and the leaves, fruit

and seeds all contain chemicals which can induce abortion. A chemical which

inhibits the replication of viruses, including the herpes simplex virus, has

been identified. However, not all the research into bitter melon has been

positive. One study suggested that the plant extracts might in fact be

immunosuppressive.

 

Researchers have found that bitter melon contains several proteins that can

inhibit HIV in the test-tube. These proteins, known collectively as

ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are alpha-momarchorin, beta-momarchorin

and MAP-30 (Momordica Anti-HIV Protein).

 

 

 

Current use

Bitter melon is an unlicensed, experimental treatment. There have not yet been

any controlled studies that could establish whether or not it is an effective

treatment. In the absence of hard facts, there are many anecdotal accounts of

people with HIV who claim to have had remarkable improvements in CD4 count,

diarrhoea and dermatitis and to have gained weight. However, other people report

no benefits from the treatment.

 

A combination of herbs may produce better results than single herbal therapy;

however, large comparative studies on herbal combinations have not been

conducted. One study of bitter melon in combination with curcumin, glycyrrhizin

and SPV-30 (all taken in capsule form) found some evidence of antiviral effect

(Carter).

 

Side-effects seem to be limited to diarrhoea and fevers.

 

Taking it

Bitter melon is sold by many Asian grocery stores and is sometimes available

frozen. There are several different ways of administering it, including chopping

and blending the plant with water or boiling it for 60 to 90 minutes to produce

a liquid which is then cooled, strained and either drunk or used as a retention

enema (in which the liquid is held in the bowel until it is all absorbed). The

suggested amount of drink or enema is a total of 12-16 ounces per day.

 

Current developments

Japanese researchers have produced an artificial version of MAP 30 using

recombinant techniques. The recombinant protein retains the anti-HIV effects of

the natural product in the test-tube and has only minor toxic effects on cells

and laboratory animals.

 

Key research

 

Lee-Huang (1993) reported that MAP 30 exhibits potent activity against HIV-1 in

both acutely and chronically infected cells “in vitro” and inhibits the function

of eukaryotic ribosomal RNA in messenger RNA translation. It can also relax and

decatentate supercoiled DNA and catalyze double-stranded breakage of DNA.

 

Zhang prepared an extract of “Mormodica charantia” from decoction and

administered it daily via oral and/or rectal routes to 6 people with HIV.

Significant increases in CD4 count were reported.

 

Lee-Huang (1994) produced a recombinant form of MAP 30. This retained the

antiviral activity of the native protein when tested in acutely and chronically

infected cells, by syncytium formation in CEM-ss cells, by p24 expression and by

HIV reverse transcriptase activity in H9 cells.

 

Carter presented 8 cases of people on a herbal combination of bitter melon (5

capsules twice a day), curcumin (2 capsules three times daily), glycyrrhizin (1

capsule three times daily), SPV-30 (1 capsule three times daily). At 8 weeks, 3

people had their viral load drop by over 1 log, 2 had increases in viral load, 2

had stable or slightly lower viral load and one person, who had an intial drop

in viral load over 1 log, saw viral rebound after a bout of flu.

 

References

 

Carter GM et al. Case reports of potential combination therapy using botanical

substances, selected on the basis of their antiviral activity. 12th World AIDS

Conference, Geneva, abstract 42388, 1998.

 

Cunnick J. Bitter melon: research review. J Nat Med 4(1):16-21, 1993.

 

Foa-Tomasi L. Effect of ribosome-inactivating proteins on virus infected cells:

inhibition of virus multiplication and of protein synthesis. Arch Virol

71:323-332, 1982.

 

Lee-Huang S et al. MAP 30, an anti-HIV protein, inhibits both ribosomal RNA

function and DNA topological interconversions. 9th Intl Conf AIDS, Berlin,

abstract B26-1993, 1993.

 

Lee-Huang S et al. The anti-HIV activity of recombinant MAP 30 from bitter

melon. 10th Intl Conf AIDS, Yokohama, abstract 114A, 1994.

 

Leung SO et al. The immunosuppressive activities of two abortifacient proteins

isolated from the seeds of bitter melon (Momordica charantia).

Immunopharmacology 13:159-171, 1987.

 

Zhang QC et al. Primary report on the clinical use of ChinesE herbal extract of

momordica charantia (bitter melon) in HIV-infected patients. 8th Intl Conf AIDS,

Amsterdam, abstract PuB 7597, 1992.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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