İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy

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DOI :10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196   IUP :10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196    Full Text (PDF)

Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells

Kardelen Azgın, Ahmet Cumaoğlu

Background and Aims: Momordica charantia has garnered much attention as an alternative medicine due to its phytopharmaceutical content and anti-cancer properties. This study aimed to demonstrate the anti-cancer potential of M. charantia fruit extract (McFE) and seed extract (McSE) by investigating their effects on the migration and proliferation of human endometrial cancer (EC) cells as well as on the activation (phosphorylation) of non-genomic oestrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathway kinases and caspase-9 phosphorylation.

Methods: McFE and McSE samples were extracted with ethanol using the maceration method. The MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]−2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) test was used to evaluate EC cell (RL 95-2) viability, Western blot was used to analyse protein phosphorylation, and cell migration was evaluated using a wound-healing assay.

Results: Cell proliferation was inhibited by McSE and McFE, with IC₅₀ values of 134,8 μg/mL and 165,9 μg/ mL, respectively. The phosphorylation of non-genomic ER signaling kinases, such as extracellular signalregulated kinases (ERK1/2) (8.59-fold), P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38MAPK) (13.99-fold), and protein kinase B (AKT) (4.52-fold), increased in comparison to control cells after a short (15 min.) treatment with low concentrations (1 nM) of 17 β-oestradiol. The phosphorylation of caspase-9 (Thr125 2.59 fold, Ser196 3.48 fold) was additionally elevated by oestradiol treatment. The activation of ERK1/2, P38MAPK and AKT, and the phosphorylation of caspase-9 were significantly decreased by treatment with McSE and McFE. Additionally, the relative closure of the scratch in the cell migration assay was significantly reduced after treatment with McSE and McFE.

Conclusion: M. charantia can induce cell death in EC cells by preventing the phosphorylation of caspase-9 and non-genomic kinases involved in the ER signaling pathway. These findings imply that M. charantia could be used as an alternative supportive treatment for EC. 

Keywords: 17 β-oestradiol, Endometrium cancer, Non-genomic oestrogen signaling pathway, Caspase-9, Momordica charantia

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APA

Azgın, K., & Cumaoğlu, A. (2025). Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells. İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy, 55(1), 93-100. https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


AMA

Azgın K, Cumaoğlu A. Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells. İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy. 2025;55(1):93-100. https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


ABNT

Azgın, K.; Cumaoğlu, A. Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells. İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy, [Publisher Location], v. 55, n. 1, p. 93-100, 2025.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Azgın, Kardelen, and Ahmet Cumaoğlu. 2025. “Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells.” İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy 55, no. 1: 93-100. https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


Chicago: Humanities Style

Azgın, Kardelen, and Ahmet Cumaoğlu. “Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells.” İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy 55, no. 1 (Aug. 2025): 93-100. https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


Harvard: Australian Style

Azgın, K & Cumaoğlu, A 2025, 'Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells', İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 93-100, viewed 17 Aug. 2025, https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Azgın, K. and Cumaoğlu, A. (2025) ‘Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells’, İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy, 55(1), pp. 93-100. https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196 (17 Aug. 2025).


MLA

Azgın, Kardelen, and Ahmet Cumaoğlu. “Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells.” İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy, vol. 55, no. 1, 2025, pp. 93-100. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


Vancouver

Azgın K, Cumaoğlu A. Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells. İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy [Internet]. 17 Aug. 2025 [cited 17 Aug. 2025];55(1):93-100. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196 doi: 10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196


ISNAD

Azgın, Kardelen - Cumaoğlu, Ahmet. “Antiproliferative effect of bitter melon (momordica charantia) seed and fruit extracts through the non-genomic oestrogen receptor signaling pathway on oestrogen-sensitive endometrium cancer cells”. İstanbul Journal of Pharmacy 55/1 (Aug. 2025): 93-100. https://doi.org/10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2025.1536196



TIMELINE


Submitted20.08.2024
Accepted12.12.2024
Published Online07.05.2025

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