A　plant　lysozyme　exhibiting　antifungal　activity　and　with　a　molecular　mass　of　20.1　kDa　in　SDS-polyacrylamide　gel　electrophoresis　was　isolated　from　Momordica　charantia　L　using　a　procedure　that　involved　aqueous　extraction,　vacuum　freeze-drying　of　extraction,　and　ion　exchange　chromatography　on　high-performance　liquid　chromatography　on　Source　Q　and　POROS　50　HS.　Its　N-terminal　sequence　was　determined　to　be　Q-L-C-E-L-A-A-C-M-K-R-H-G-L-D,　showing　relatively　high　homology　(about　80%)　with　that　of　hen　egg　white　lysozyme.　Its　pI　was　estimated　to　be　9.9.　The　lysozyme　exhibited　a　pH　optimum　at　pH　5.5　and　a　temperature　optimum　at　50　°C.　Moreover,　the　lysozyme　exerted　an　antifungal　action　toward　Mucorracemosus　and　Rhizoctonia　solani,　in　addition　to　an　antibacterial　action　against　Escherichia　coli　and　Staphylococcus　aureus.　©　2011　Springer-Verlag.