Bitter melon inhibits breast cancer

Results from a Hawaiian study showed bitter melon extract (BME) modulates signal transduction pathways for inhibition of breast cancer cell growth and can be used as a dietary supplement for prevention of breast cancer (Cancer Res. 2010;70(5);192531).The study used human breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, and primary human mammary epithelial cells as an in vitro model to assess the efficacy of BME (Momordica charantia) as an anticancer agent.

BME treatment of breast cancer cells resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death. Apoptosis of breast cancer cells was accompanied by increased poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and caspase activation. Subsequent studies showed BME treatment of breast cancer cells inhibited survivin and claspin expression. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis suggested MCF-7 cells treated with BME accumulated during the G2-M phase of the cell cycle. Further studies revealed BME treatment enhanced p53, p21 and pChk1/2, and inhibited cyclin B1 and cyclin D1 expression, suggesting an additional mechanism involving cell cycle regulation.