Ani Kristiyani^1,2, Zullies Ikawati¹*, Andayana Puspitasari Gani³ and Zaenal Muttaqien Sofro⁴

¹Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
²Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Kristen Immanuel, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
²Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
³Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

*Corresponding Author: Zullies Ikawati, Departement of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Received: January 31, 2025; Published: February 20, 2025

Abstract

Depression is a psychiatric disorder that affects mood and physical health and contributes significantly to the global burden of disease. Various molecular mechanisms in the brain are associated with the cause of symptoms and severity of depression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin involved in depressive disorders. Many preclinical and clinical studies provide evidence that BDNF is involved in behavioral phenomena associated with depression. Herbal medicine can be used as an alternative for the treatment of depression. Previous studies have reported that bitter melon leaves (Momordica charantia Linn) have antidepressant activity in vivo by observing the behavior of test animals. However, until now, there has been no report on the active compounds in bitter melon leaves extract responsible for antidepressants and their effects on BDNF levels. Based on this, this study aims to determine what active compounds are contained in bitter melon leaves extract that is suspected of having antidepressant activity in vivo tests through changes in the behavior of test animals and tracking their effects on changes in BDNF levels. This research methodology commences with the analysis of the compound composition of 80% ethanol extract from bitter melon leaves via LC-HRMS. Subsequently, the antidepressant efficacy of the ethanol extract is evaluated at dosages of 200 and 400 mg/kg BW in vivo, utilizing the Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) model in mouse subjects. Behavioral outcomes are assessed by measuring the duration of feeding in the Novelty Suppressed Feeding (NSF) Test, followed by an examination of the effects on BDNF levels in the hippocampus using an ELISA kit. Research shows that in the 80% ethanol extract of bitter melon leaves through LC-HRMS test, 7 compounds were found that had peaked with relative abundance greater than 1%, namely α,α-Trehalose, Stearamide, 1-Stearoylglycerol, 2,2'-Methylenebis (4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol), 16-Hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, Oleamide, and Corchorifatty acid F. The administration of 80% ethanol extract from bitter melon leaves with doses of 200 and 400 mg/kgBW in vivo enhanced behavioral improvement by increasing feeding time and elevating BDNF levels in the hippocampus. The study's results indicate that bitter melon leaves contain active chemicals that exhibit effective antidepressant properties by inducing behavioral changes and enhancing BDNF levels in the hippocampus.

 Keywords: Depression; BDNF; Bitter Melon; LC-HRMS; Momordica Charantia Linn

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Citation

Citation: Zullies Ikawati., et al. “Phytochemical Components Analysis of Bitter Melon Leaves Extract (Momordica charantia Linn) Using LC-HRMS and Study the Anti-depressant Activity Possible Effect on Brain BDNF”. Acta Scientific Neurology 8.3 (2025): 09-16.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Zullies Ikawati., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.