Depression is a prevalent mental disorder with detrimental impacts on quality of life and economy. Under the current COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of depression has increased profoundly. To make matters worse, access to healthcare is challenged by the ongoing pandemic. This urges the availability of alternatives to treat depression with easy accessibility, and plant-derived substances can be good candidates. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) has been known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. We tested the effect of bitter melon juice concentrate (BM) in a mouse model of depression using the forced swimming test (FST) method. Male ddY mice were assigned to groups treated with daily oral vehicle, BM at 50 or 200 mg/kg, and 20 mg/kg fluoxetine hydrochloride. Immobility time during FST was observed on the 7th and 14th days of treatment. Upon completion of treatment, the mice were sacrificed and checked for hippocampal and frontal cortical cortisol levels. Results showed that BM produced a significant decrease in immobility time on both observation days. This finding was accompanied by a significant decline in cortisol levels in the brain areas of the mice treated with BM at both doses. Overall, results suggest that BM has the potential for use in the treatment of depression.
Key words: Bitter melon, juice concentrate, depression, forced swimming test, cortisol, mice
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