Momordica charantia medicinal uses include:
- Pancreatic Cancer - Momordica charantia is high in antioxidants, which can protect the body against pancreatic cancer cells.
- AIDS (HIV) - Studies have shown that momordica charantia may be effective in fighting against HIV infections.
- Ulcers - Momordica charantia can help prevent stomach ulcers from forming.
What is Momordica charantia?
Momordica charantia is a vigorous, tendril-bearing, frost tender, annual vine of the cucumber family that will grow rapidly to 12-20’ long in a single growing season. Plants are generally grown like cucumbers.
What is Momordica charantia extract from melon?
Budrat P, Shotipruk A. Extraction of phenolic compounds from fruits of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) with subcritical water extraction and antioxidant activities of these extracts. Chiang Mai J Sci. 2008;35(1):123–130.
Does Momordica charantia improve insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus?
Cortez-Navarrete M, Martínez-Abundis E, Pérez-Rubio KG, González-Ortiz M, Méndez-Del Villar M. Momordica charantia administration improves insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Med Food. 2018;21 (7):672-7. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2017.0114. View abstract.
Can charantiahas be used to treat diabetes?
M. charantiahas been used as dietary supplements and ethnomedicine throughout centuries for relieving symptoms and conditions related to what we know in modern days as diabetes. To date, M. charantiahas been extensively studied worldwide for its medicinal properties to treat a number of diseases[61].
What Is Bitter Melon?
Momordica charantia goes by several common names around the world, including bitter melon, bitter gourd, balsam, bitter apple and carilla fruit. It belongs to the cucurbitaceae plant family and today is primarily grown in two varieties for its medicinal benefits ( M. charantia var. charantia and M. charantia var.
Health Benefits
Findings from both human and animal studies have demonstrated a hypoglycemic effect of concentrated bitter melon extract, meaning it helps to lower blood glucose (sugar) levels and regulate the body’s use of insulin. In many ways, bitter melon extract acts just like insulin that the body produces naturally.
How to Use
Bitter melon fruit can be eaten on its own, cooked with, or consumed in extract/tablet form.
Risks and Side Effects
Based on research that’s available at this time, bitter melon is meant to be used in conjunction with other preventive measures (like eating a healthy diet and exercising to control inflammation), along with conventional treatments when necessary.
What are the chemical compounds in Momordica charantia?
Momordica charantia contains several biologically active chemical compounds such as glycosides, saponins, alkaloids, fixed oils, triterpenes, proteins, and steroids (Raman and Lau, 1966 ). Although several biologically active chemical constituents have been isolated from different parts of the plant, including the leaves, fruit pulp, and seeds, it is not clear what part of the plant or what component of the fruit is responsible for the antihyperglycemic effect.
Where is Momordica charantia grown?
Momordica charantia L. ( Bitter gourd) was grown in earthen pot with natural soil amended with farmyard manure and sand (2:1:1) in the Botanical garden of Banaras Hindu University campus (25°20’ N and 83°00’ E, elevation 80.71 m).
How many studies have been done on Momordica?
There are 13 human studies conducted on Momordica, all on the fruit or dried fruit decoction ( http://napralert.org/ ).
What is garlic used for?
It has long been used as dietary supplement for traditional treatment of diabetes in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Does Momordica charantia cause hypoglycemia?
Oral formulations of Momordica charantia (karela fruit, bitter melon) have hypoglycemic activity in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [10, 11], and can interfere with conventional treatment with diet and chlorpropamide [12 ]. In 15 patients aged 52–65 years a soft extract of M. charantia plus half doses of metformin or glibenclamide or both in combination caused hypoglycemia greater than that caused by full doses during treatment for 7 days [13]. Subcutaneous injection of a principle obtained from the fruit may lower blood glucose concentrations in juvenile diabetes.
Is Momordica charantia antidiabetic?
Momordica charantia (bitter melon) was reported to have antidiabetic activity but its action principle is not clear. Two triterpene glycosides including momordicoside M ( 26) and momordicoside A ( 27) isolated from the fruits of M. charantia were reported to possess a moderate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with a 18.63% and 21.71% inhibition at the concentration of 50 μM, respectively ( Nhiem et al., 2010 ). Its selectivity and inhibition mechanism remain to be characterized.
Does M. charantia affect blood sugar?
Ethanolic extracts of M. charantia showed an antihyperglycemic as well as hypoglycemic effect in normal and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats by decreasing blood sugar by 23% and 27%, respectively (Shibib et al., 1993 ).
What is M. charantia used for?
Its fruit is also used for the treatment of diabetes and related conditions amongst the indigenous populations of Asia, South America, India and East Africa. Abundant pre-clinical studies have documented in the anti-diabetic and hypoglycaemic effects of M. charantiathrough various postulated mechanisms.
What are the active principles of medicinal plants?
The active principles present in medicinal plants have been reported to possess pancreatic β cells regenerating, insulin releasing and fighting the problem of insulin resistance[18]. Hyperglycemia is involved in the etiology of development of diabetic complications.
How many plants are used in medicine?
Many traditional medicines in use are derived from medicinal plants, minerals and organic matter. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed 21 000 plants, which are used for medicinal purposes around the world. Among them, 150 species are used commercially on a fairly large scale[1],[10].
Does M. charantiacan inhibit fructose 1?
Previous studies have shown that both the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the fruit of M. charantiacan inhibit the activities of fructose 1, 6-diphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase and at the same time stimulating the action of glucose-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase[85].
Is M. charantia good for diabetes?
With the traditional use supported by modern scientific evidence of the beneficial function of M. charantia, it is one of the most promising plants for diabetes today[11],[61].
What is bitter melon used for?
Bitter melon is a vegetable used in India and other Asian countries. The fruit and seeds are used to make medicine. People use bitter melon for diabetes, obesity, stomach and intestinal problems, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
What is the name of the condition that causes fatigue, headache, fever, stomach pain, and coma?
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency: People with G6PD deficiency might develop "favism" after eating bitter melon seeds. Favism is a condition named after the fava bean, which is thought to cause "tired blood" (anemia), headache, fever, stomach pain, and coma in certain people.
