Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown for edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all vegetables. Bitter melon contains an array of biologically active plant chemicals including triterpenes, proteins, and steroids. The fruit is useful in gout, rheumatism and subacute cases of the spleen and liver diseases. It is supposed to purify blood and dissipate melancholia. It has also been shown to have hypoglycaemic properties (anti-diabetic) in animal as well as human studies. Raw materials of used in pharmaceuticals, health food, cosmetics, food, perfumery and other industries. However, bitter melon is not popular in Korea. For research, development and commercialization of bitter melon in Korea, we collected 13 varieties of bitter melon from domestic andabroad. We study biological and chemical characteristics of bitter melon. In general frui tsize and weight of Philippines and Japanese varieties was larger than that of Chinese and Korean. We are studying chemical analysis of useful compound (diosgenin and GABA) from bitter melon.

• Yong Kyung Kim(Division of Plant Science and Resources, Chungnam National University)
• Hui Xu(Division of Plant Science and Resources, Chungnam National University)
• Eung Hwi Kim(Division of Plant Science and Resources, Chungnam National University)
• Yun Pyo Choi(Division of Plant Science and Resources, Chungnam National University)
• Hee Bong Lee(Division of Plant Science and Resources, Chungnam National University)
• Sang Un Park(Division of Plant Science and Resources, Chungnam National University)