Phenolic acids in some Indian cultivars of Momordica charantia and their therapeutic properties

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is an important medicinal plant consumed mostly as vegetable. Often the whole plant is used in different forms for improving human health. Phenolic acid analysis by high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) of three cultivars of M. charantia (viz., Pusa Vishesh, Kalyanpur Barasati and Priya) has been done. Kalyanpur Barasati was rich in some phenolic acids (six phenolic acids) followed by Pusa Vishesh and Priya (five phenolic acids). Gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic and ferulic acids were detected in fruit parts of all the three varieties where gallic acid was in maximum amount. Caffeic acid was maximum in Pusa Vishesh and Kalyanpur Barasati. In roots and leaves, phenolic acids were detected in traces. The importance of fruits which are consumed as vegetable in human diet has been discussed in the light of phenolic acid content.