PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES OF MOMORDICA CYMBALARIA (ATHALAKKAI): A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

V. R. Ravikkumar, AL. Lakshmanan, B. Bhuvaneshwari, P. Pranow Keerthi, J. Jayaprakash, M. Loganayagi, V. Maheswari*

ABSTRACT

This systematic review offers a thorough analysis of the phytochemical profile and various pharmacological evaluations of Momordica cymbalaria, a nutritionally rich but underutilized medicinal plant of the Cucurbitaceae family that is native to tropical India and Southeast Asia. Phytochemical investigations, mostly using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), have identified 75 bioactive compounds across the leaves, roots, and callus, including triterpenoids and flavonoids. Pharmacological research demonstrates the plant's strong antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and cardioprotective properties, highlighting its considerable therapeutic adaptability. Additionally, it has exceptional hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and nephroprotective properties, especially when it comes to reducing oxidative stress and chemically induced toxicity. Additionally, studies highlight its promise in wound healing, anti-inflammatory responses through the NF-κB pathway, anti-cancer therapy (particularly against breast cancer), and the treatment of depression and anaemia. Interestingly, the plant has been shown to have abortifacient and anti-fertility qualities. Due to poor seed viability and habitat degradation, M. cymbalaria is in danger of going extinct despite its enormous therapeutic usefulness. This study highlights its function as a sustained "unconventional gem" for contemporary drug discovery and compiles recent data supporting its traditional use. However, to fully realize its medicinal potential and guarantee its ecological existence, more clinical research and immediate conservation initiatives are required.

Keywords: Momordica cymbalaria, Phytochemical analysis, Pharmacological studies.