Comparative Phytochemical Profiling and Antioxidant Evaluation of Different Plant Parts of Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) from Borneo Island

ASM Sc. J., 21(1), 2026

Published on June 23, 2026

https://doi.org/10.32802/asmscj.2026.0177

Author: Norhayati Yusuf, Nur Fazirah Mohammad Ali, Asnuzilawati Asari, Maulidiani Maulidiani, Nurul Huda Abdul Wahab

Abstract

Momordica charantia, commonly known as bitter gourd, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is widely distributed across tropical regions worldwide. In Malaysia, it is locally referred to as peria katak and is traditionally used as food and medicine. Despite extensive reports on its therapeutic potential, there remains limited comparative data on how different plant parts and solvent systems influence the recovery of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity, particularly for Malaysian varieties. This gap limits the scientific validation of M. charantia as a source of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. In this study, the leaves, fruits, and seeds of M. charantia collected from Tawau, Sabah, were extracted using solvents of varying polarity hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol and evaluated for phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential. Antioxidant properties were assessed through 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, carotenoid content, and α-tocopherol concentration. Among the solvents, methanol yielded the highest extraction percentages (11.05 ± 0.35% from leaves, 8.10 ± 0.16% from fruits, and 4.68 ± 0.057% from seeds). Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed alkaloids, flavonoids, reducing sugars, carbohydrates, steroids, saponins, tannins, phlobatannins, and phenolics in the methanol extract of leaves. Furthermore, methanol leaf extract demonstrated the strongest antioxidant capacity, with 98.43 ± 0.09% DPPH radical scavenging activity, alongside elevated α -tocopherol (4.65 ± 0.01 mg/g.fwt) and carotenoid levels (44.18 ± 1.81 mg/g.fwt). These findings demonstrate that the choice of solvent and plant part significantly affects phytochemical recovery and antioxidant potential. The results provide evidence to address the current gap and support the pharmaceutical exploration of M. charantia as a promising natural source of antioxidants.

Keywords: antioxidants, Bitter gourd, DPPH, phytochemical, secondary metabolites