BITTER MELON, BALSAM PEAR (Momordica charantia L.)

BITTER MELON, BALSAM PEAR (Momordica charantia L.)

Synonym — M. muricata Willd.
Activities (Bitter Melon) — Abortifacient (1; CRC; TRA; WOI); Androgenic (1; ABS); Antibacterial
(1; MPG; TRA); Anticataract (1; ZUL); Anticholinergic (1; ZUL); Antidiabetic (1; ZUL);
Antihistaminic (1; TRA); Antileukemic (1; MPG); Antimalarial (1; ZUL); Antimitotic (1; MPG);
Antimutagenic (1; MPG); Antipyretic (f; CRC; MPG); Antiseptic (1; CRC); Antispasmodic (1;
ZUL); Antispermagenic (1; MPG; TRA); Antitumor (1; MPG); Antiviral (1; MPG; SKY); Aperitif
(f; CRC); Aphrodisiac (f; CRC; KAB); Acaricide (1; TRA); Astringent (f; CRC; KAB); Candidicide
(1; MPG; TRA); Carminative (f; CRC; WOI); Choleretic (f; MPG); Depurative (f; AAB; CRC);
Digestive (f; CRC); Emetic (f; KAB); Emmenagogue (f; KAB; MPG); Guanylate-Cyclase-Inhibitor
(1; SKY); Hemostat (f; CRC); Hypocholesterolemic (1; CRC); Hypoglycemic (2; MPG; SKY;

SYN; WOI); Hypotensive (1; CRC; MPG); Immunotoxic (1; TRA); Insecticide (1; CRC; MPG;
TRA); Lactagogue (f; CRC); Laxative (1; CRC; KAB; MPG); Lipolytic (1; CRC); Poison (1; CRC);
Stomachic (f; KAB; WOI); Teratogenic (1; MPG); Tonic (f; KAB; WOI); Vermifuge (1; CRC;
MPG; WOI); Vulnerary (f; KAB; RYM).
Indications (Bitter Melon) — Ameba (f; AAB); Anemia (f; AAB); Anorexia (f; CRC); Aphtha
(f; KAB); Asthma (f; CRC; KAB); Bacteria (1; MPG; TRA); Bite (f; KAB; MPG); Biliousness
(f; MPG); Bleeding (f; CRC); Boil (f; CRC); Bronchosis (f; KAB); Bruise (f; KAB); Burn (f;
CRC); Calculus (f; CRC); Cancer (1; CRC; MPG); Candida (1; CRC; MPG; TRA); Cataract (1;
ZUL); Catarrh (f; CRC); Chilblain (f; CRC); Cholera (f; CRC; KAB); Cold (f; CRC); Colic (f;
CRC; WOI); Colitis (f; CRC); Constipation (1; AAB; CRC; KAB; MPG); Cramp (1; ZUL);
Delirium (f; KAB); Dermatosis (f; AAB; CRC; KAB); Diabetes (2; AAB; SKY; ZUL); Dysentery
(f; CRC); Dysmenorrhea (f; AAB; CRC; KAB); Dyspepsia (f; CRC); Eczema (f; CRC; SKJ);
Escherichia (1; MPG); Fever (f; CRC; KAB; MPG; WOI); Furuncle (f; TRA); Gas (f; CRC;
MPG; WOI); Gastrosis (f; CRC); Gonorrhea (f; CRC; KAB); Gout (f; CRC; WOI); Halitosis (f;
CRC); Headache (f; CRC); Hemorrhoid (f; CRC; KAB; SKJ); Hepatosis (f; CRC); High Blood
Pressure (1; CRC; MPG); HIV (1; SKY); High Cholesterol (1; CRC); Hyperglycemia (2; MPG;
SKY; SYN; WOI); Infection (1; AAB; CRC); Itch (f; CRC; TRA); Jaundice (f; CRC; KAB;
SKJ); Amenorrhea (1; TRA); Leprosy (f; CRC; KAB; TRA); Leukemia (1; MPG); Malaria (1;
CRC; SKJ; ZUL); Melancholy (f; CRC); Mycosis (f; MPG); Nyctalopia (f; KAB); Obesity (1;
CRC); Ophthalmia (f; KAB); Otosis (f; CRC); Pain (f; AAB); Parasite (f; AAB); Pediculosis (f;
TRA); Plethora (f; KAB); Polyuria (1; CRC); Prolapse (f; KAB); Psoriasis (1; CRC; SKY);
Rheumatism (f; CRC; KAB; WOI); Salmonella (1; MPG); Scabies (f; CRC; KAB); Scald (f;
CRC); Seborrhea (f; KAB); Shigella (1; MPG); Sore (f; JLH; KAB); Sore Throat (f; AAB);
Splenosis (f; CRC; KAB); Sprue (f; CRC); Staphylococcus (1; MPG); Stomachache (f; CRC);
Stomatosis (f; AAB); Streptococcus (1; FNF); Syndrome-X (1; SYN); Syphilis (f; KAB); Ticks
(1; TRA); Tumor (1; CRC; JLH; MPG); Ulcer (f; CRC); Urethrosis (f; CRC); Vaginosis (f;
KAB); VD (f; CRC); Virus (1; MPG; SKY); Worm (1; CRC; KAB; MPG; TRA; WOI); Wound
(f; CRC); Yeast (1; CRC; MPG; TRA).
Dosages (Bitter Melon) — 1 (500 mg) capsule 3 ×/day with 150 mg extract containing 2.5% bitter
principles (NH); one small melon per day (SKY); 50 ml fresh juice/day (SKY); 5 ml tincture 2–3
×/day (SKY); 2–5 g leaf/liter water (MPG).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Bitter Melon) — Not covered (AHP; KOM;
PHR). High doses may cause diarrhea and enteralgia (SKY); may potentiate hypoglycemic drugs
(SKY); small children and patients with hypoglycemia should avoid (SKY). Seeds contain abortifacient
compounds. This one is too new, at least in the First World, to have entered any of the
Commission E books I am consulting for my herbal desk reference. Even TRAMIL, the Caribbean
Commission E I call Commission T, does not recommend this frequent edible weed due to some
toxic compounds it contains.
Extracts (Bitter Melon) — At least three groups of hypoglycemic compounds (SKY). Alphaand
beta-momocharin inhibit HIV in vitro (SKY). Various extracts active in vitro against Bacillus
subtilis, Corynebacterium diptheriae, Escherichia coli, Neisseria spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Salmonella, Sarcina lutea, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus spp., LD50 of fruit;
3 g/kg (TRA; ZUL). Charantin, diosgenin, and beta-sitosterol uterotonic (ZUL); but decoction
of fruits and green leaves, without root, at 25,000 mg/kg produced no deaths in rats. Alphatrichosanthine
and beta-momorchin in the seeds are abortifacient. Hydroethanolic fruit extracts,
1.75 g/dog orally for 20 days, lowered spermatogenesis. Aqueous extracts of leaves at 500
mg/kg orl rat was neither embryotoxic nor estrogenic. Leaf juice not topically allergic nor
irritant (TRA).

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