Photo courtesy of
Forest & Kim Starr (USGS) Plants
of Hawaii. U. S. Geological Survey
Authors: Lana Dvorkin PharmD, Julia
Whelan MS
Overview
Momordica Charantia a common
plant grown in many cultures in tropical
and substropical regions. A climbing
vine, it is commonly seen growing on
walls and shrubs in the tropics. The
textured leaves look as though a bite
has been taken from them giving the
plant its Latin name Momordica which
means to bite. The orange fruits are
soft when ripe and inside black seeds
have a red covering. Momordica charantia
is used as a food, bitter flavoring,
and medicine.
Historical Uses
Used to treat diabetes,
inflammation, colds, hypertension, sore
throat, menstrual problems, tuberculosis,
fever, anemia, kidney stones, parasites,
malaria, anorexia, as an aphrodisiac,
contraceptive, and purgative. Significant
uses: Antigua - Hypertension, whole
plant or decoction orally; Costa Rica
- hypertension and diabetes; Dominica
- chopped up in bath. Infusion or whole
plant for hypertension. Guadalupe -
juice and decoction, intestinal parasites,
liver problems, nausea; Guatemala -
anemia, juice decoction stomach ache,
vomiting headache fever, malaria inflammation,
uterine inflammation washed with juice
or decoction for diabetes and cancer;
Haiti - pruritis, juice, anorexia -
decoction, macerated fruit; Honduras
- malaria decoction, diabetes anemia
decoction, skin problems blood; Dominican
Republic - fractures - aerial parts
applied, pediculosis - aerial parts
topically, dermatitis - juice or cut
up pulp, ammenorhea - juice and decoction,
cutaneous infections; Santa Lucia -
diabetes, also used as febrifuge, antirheumatic,
vermifuge, hypotensive, vulnerary
Distribution
Found throughout the tropics
Active Ingredients
Aerial parts -- flavanoids,
saponocides, phenols, tannins, alkaloids,
steroids, terpinoids-momordicinas 1,2,3,
quinines.Fruits -- amino acids alanine,
beta alanine, gamma alanine, gamma-amino-butiric
acid, glutamic acid, prolin, tryptamine,
p-polypetides, steroids-charantine,
alpha-spinasterol, beta cytosterol,
stimasterol and derivatives D-galateronic
acid. Green fruit-saponins-diosgenin,
triterpine momordicosides, E-1,EX,F',
F-1,F-2, G,H,I,J,K,L Fruit pericarpium
caratinoids abg caratine derivatives
lutein, lycopene, Zeaxantine, zeinoxantine.
Amino acids found in seeds-alinine,
arginine,asparagines, aspartic acid,
glutamic acid, glycine, histadine, leucine,
leusine, lysine, ornatine, sterine,
tyrosine, vicine, a and b momorcrines,
momordine, zeatine and zeatine rhibosides,
momordicosides A,B,C,D,E.
Proven Scientific Evidence
Hypoglycemic activity based
on structural similarity to insulin
and stimulation of pancreatic secretion
of insulin. Decrease of serum glucose
levels has been observed in animal studies
and a few human studies. 2Antiviral
and antineoplastic activities have been
demonstrated in in-vitro studies.
Dosage Information
Best dose not established.
Studies use 50 to 100 ml of fruit juice.
Some studies have used subcutaneous
administration. Pediatric doses are
not established and extreme caution
is urged due to case of reports of children
with hypoglycemic coma after drinking
bitter melon tea.
Toxicities
Seeds and rind contain toxic
lectin, but this has not produced any
documented symptoms in humans. Should
not be consumed during pregnancy because
of abortifacient activity in animals.
Should not be taken with other glucose
lowering agents. Susceptible individuals
may develop favism. There are case reports
of children with hypoglycemic coma after
drinking bitter melon tea.
1. Germosén-Robineau
L, Enda-Caribe, Universidad de Antioquía.
Hacia Una Farmacopea Caribeña
: Investigacion Cientifica y Uso Popular
De Plantas Medicinales En El Caribe.
Santo Domingo; Enda-Caribo: Republica
Dominicana; UAG & Universidad de
Antioquia; 1995.
2. Basch E, Gabardi S, Ulbricht C.
Bitter melon (momordica charantia):
A review of efficacy and safety. Am
J Health Syst Pharm. 2003;60:356-359.
