Olufunso Olorunsogo

Momordica Charantia-induced Membrane Permeability and Anti Fertility Olufunso Olorunsogo

Momordica charantia (Bitter melon) of the family Cucubitaceae has been reputed to be a medicinal plant finding its use in the treatment of an array of ailments including Diabetes,fevers, skin disorders and purportedly, some cancers. In this piece we detail the effect of a 30-day ingestion of Momordica charantia on fertility and mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MMPT) pore in experimental rats. The MMPT pore is a crucial actor in the induction of apoptosis; the form of death a cell commits by itself and which has been found useful in the inhibition of cancer cells' proliferation. Here, the discussion centers around the discovery of a link between the ingestion of the leaf decoction of Momordica charantia and opening of the permeability transition pore in normal rat liver mitochondria membrane as well as the attendant anti- fertility effects in tested rats.