THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BITTER GOURD OR MOMODICA

CHARANTIA DECOCTION AS A WOUND HEALER TO BE TESTED ON

THE SKIN OF MICE

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Submitted to fulfill one of the requirements for conducting research to write a

thesis in the Practical Research 1 class, Angeles University Foundation

By:

DIDA-AGUN, Al-Habbib A.

(Member)

(Member)

(Member)

(Member)

(Member)
 The Effectiveness of Bitter Gourd or Momordica Charantia Decoction as a
Wound Healer to be Tested on the Skin of Mice
Chapter I. Introduction

Bitter Gourd or Momordica Charantia is a traditional herb commonly used for its anti-
diabetic, antioxidant, contraceptive and antibacterial properties and its ability to heal wounds
rapidly. In this study, the researchers aim to observe the topical effect and benefits of bitter gourd
extract on the wound-healing process in animals and to determine if the application of bitter
gourd leaves crude extract on the wounds inflected on animals would exhibit a wound healing
property compared to the application of plain, normal saline solution. Moreover, the authors
decided to conduct a research by noting the similarity and differences of the healing potentials of
bitter gourd leaf extract with the healing potentials of conventional creams used therapeutically.

Background and Rationale

Momordica charantia Linn. fruit powder, in the form of an ointment (10% w/w dried
powder in simple ointment base), was evaluated for wound-healing potential in an excision,
incision and dead space wound model in rats. The rats were divided into three groups of control,
treatment and reference in all three wound models, each group consisting of six rats. Wound-
contraction ability in excision wound mode was measured at different time intervals on days 4, 8,
10, 12 and 14, and the study was continued until the wound had completely healed. Tensile
strength was measured in 10-day-old incision and granuloma wound. Histological studies were
performed on 10-day-old sections of regenerated tissue. Powder ointment showed a stastically
significant response (P < 0.01), in terms of wound-contracting ability, wound closure time,
period of epithelization, tensile strength of the wound and regeneration of tissues at wound site
when compared with the control group, and these results were comparable to those of a reference
drug povidone iodine ointment.

Statement of the Problem

It has been believed that using bitter gourd in healing wounds has its own advantages and
disadvantages. One of its advantages is its ability to quicken wound healing, according to some
researchers who tested them on rats. It has effects on the test subject’s wound-contracting ability,
wound closure time, period of epithelization, tensile strength of the wound and the regeneration
of tissues at wound site. The only proven disadvantage of bitter gourd is if it’s taken during
pregnancy. Certain chemicals in bitter gourd might start menstrual bleeding and have caused
abortion in animals, so it is considered to be possible unsafe. Aside from that, there really isn’t
any negative effect when applied on wounds or directly onto the skin.

Research Questions

1. Is using bitter gourd in wound healing better than using conventional creams?
2. Does it have a different effect than using conventional creams?
3. Is it faster to heal wounds when using bitter gourd than when using conventional creams?
4. Which would be better: using bitter gourd, conventional creams, or nothing during
wound-healing?

Significance of the Study

Anyone can get wounds. It can be obtained when simply scratching your skin on a rough
surface. Some wounds take an especially long time when healing, depending on the seriousness
of the injury. Some would even leave scars when the skin was wounded deep enough. We all
know that having wounds is such a struggle – we’re going to have to clean it every now and then
to avoid infections, cover them up to avoid being contaminated, and protecting them from getting
harmed once more and possibly worsening the damage. You can’t simply remove a wound, but
you can get rid of it quicker than it probably should. The researchers of this study decided to
compare the effects in wound healing when using bitter gourd decoction and when using
conventional creams.

Scope of the Study

The main goal of this experiment is to figure out which method is the quickest and the
most practical. It could be when cleaning the wounds with bitter gourd decoction, since it has
been proven to quicken wound healing; or when applying conventional creams that has been
expertly made and designed by scientists and researchers; or when leaving it all alone to heal by
itself naturally, without the help of any applicable solution. Calculating results scientifically has
been able to help build up hypotheses and possible outcomes of the experiment, but more results
will show up after the conduction of the experiments.

Chapter II. Literature Review

Vure Prasad and Vikas Jain and Dugapati Girish and Avinash Kumar Dorle; Wound-Healing
Property of Momordica charantia L. Fruit Powder; Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy; Volume
6; number 3-4; pages 105-115; year 2006; published by Taylor & Francis. Momordica charantia
Linn. fruit powder, in the form of an ointment (10\% w/w dried powder in simple ointment base),
was evaluated for wound-healing potential in an excision, incision and dead space wound model
in rats. The rats were divided into three groups of control, treatment and reference in all three
wound models, each group consisting of six rats. Wound-contraction ability in excision wound
mode was measured at different time intervals on days 4, 8, 10, 12 and 14, and the study was
continued until the wound had completely healed. Tensile strength was measured in 10-day-old
incision and granuloma wound. Histological studies were performed on 10-day-old sections of
regenerated tissue. Powder ointment showed a stastically significant response (P < 0.01), in
terms of wound-contracting ability, wound closure time, period of epithelization, tensile strength
of the wound and regeneration of tissues at wound site when compared with the control group,
and these results were comparable to those of a reference drug povidone iodine ointment.

Chapter III. Materials and Tools

1. Ampalaya or bitter gourd leaves

2. Mortar and pestle
3. Cheese cloth
4. Sterile container

Research Methodology

1. Gather matured ampalaya or bitter gourd leaves only. Wash with running tap water then
drain for 10 minutes.
2. Put the leaves inside the mortar and pound with pestle. After pounding, put leaves into a
clean cheese cloth and squeeze manually to remove the juice.
3. Place the extract into a clean, sterile container to avoid contamination. Finally, label and
store inside a refrigerator to prolong shell life.