BITTER MELON (momordica charantia)

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	BITTER MELON
	*momordica charantia*

Name
BITTER MELON

Scientific Name
momordica charantia

BITTER MELON

Used parts and where it grows:

The bitter melon grows in tropical areas, including parts of Africa of the east, of Asia, of the Caribbean, and Suramérica, in where a medicine is used like food as well as. The fruit of this plant lives until its name -- of very bitter flavor. Although the germs, the leaves, and the grapevines of the bitter melon all have been used, the fruit is more the frequently used safest part and of the plant, medicinally.

Medicinal use Diabetes, Aid of the VIH, Soriasis

Historical or traditional use (it can or it cannot be used by scientific studies): Being a relatively common item of the food, the bitter melon was used traditionally for an arsenal of conditions by people in tropical regions. The numerous infections, the cancer, and the diabetes is between the most common conditions that it was tried for mejorar.1 the leaves and the fruit both has been used once in a while to make teas and the beer or to ripen the soups in the western world. The berries also produce wax, that is used to make candles.

Active components: At least three diverse groups of components in bitter melon been have indicated to have hipoglicémicas actions (sugar of the blood that lower) or others of the potential advantage in mellitus of the diabetes. These include a mixture of saponins steroidal known like charantin, insulin-like peptides, and the alkaloids. It continues being nonunderstandable that of these is most effective, or if work three together. The multiple controlled clinical studies have confirmed the advantage of the bitter melon for people with diabetes.2

Two proteins, known like alpha and beta-momorcharin, inhibit the virus of the AIDS, but this investigation has been only demonstrated in test tubes and in beings humanos.3 a component until now identified in bitter melon does not inhibit cyclase of guanylate of the enzyme, an act that can benefit to people with soriasis.

How much I must take? For those with a taste or a tolerance for the bitter flavor, a small melon can be eaten as food or up to 50 mililiter of fresh juice can be drunk per day. Although still they are bitter, the dyes of the bitter melon (5 mililiter two to three times per day) also are used sometimes.

There are indirect effect or interactions? The high overdoses of the bitter juice of the melon can cause to abdominal pain and diarrea. The small children or any person with hypoglycemia do not have to take the bitter melon, because this grass could theoretically drive or make worse the low sugar of the blood (hypoglycemia). In addition, the diabetics who take hipoglicémicas drugs (such as chlorpropamide, glyburide, or phenformin) or the insulin must only use the bitter melon under medical supervision, because he can reinforce the effectiveness of drugs and lead to hypoglycemia severe.

References:

1, Duke Manual Ja. of the CRC of medicinal grass. Mouth Mouse, Fl: The Crc Presiona, 1985, 315-16.

2, Characteristics of Raman To, of Lau C. Anti-diabetic and phytochemistry of charantia L (Curcurbitaceae) of Momordica. Phytomed Head of cattle 1996;2:349-62.

3, Preliminary report of Zhang QC. on the use of the extract of charantia of Momordica of the HIV patients. J Naturopathic Med 1992;3:65-69.

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