Bitter melon or Momordica charantia,Bitter gourd,bitter apple,wild cucumber,bitter cucumber,balsam pear,karela.

article content dotArticle Content:

Suggestions and Pharmakon Use of Momordica charantia.

Bitter melon or Momordica charantia,Bitter gourd,bitter apple,wild cucumber,bitter cucumber,Bitter melon Bitter Malon Extract.Momordica charantia.Charantin,Charantins,Charantin A photo picture image How much is usually taken?
 For those with a taste or tolerance for bitter flavor, a small melon can be eaten as food, or up to 3 1/3 ounces (100 ml) of a decoction or 2 ounces (60 ml) of fresh juice can be drunk per day.3 Though still bitter, tinctures of bitter melon (1 teaspoon [5 ml] two to three times per day) are also sometimes used. The amounts recommended would be appropriate for people with diabetes.
 Are there any side effects or interactions?
 Ingestion of excessive amounts of bitter melon juice (several times more than the amount recommended above) can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.4 Excessive ingestion of the seeds had been associated with headache, fever, and coma. Bitter melon is not recommended for pregnant women. People with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) should not take bitter melon, because it may trigger or worsen the problem.This effect has been reported in two young children and one adult patient with diabetes.
 Adverse Reactions:
   Reported: Hypoglycemia, hepatotoxicity (animal studies)
 Toxicity: Ingestion of vicine (seed) may cause favism characterized by headache, fever, abdominal pain, and coma.
 Drug Interactions:
 Insulin: Bitter melon may have an additive effect when used concomitantly.
 Hypoglycemics: Bitter melon may have additive effect when used concomitantly.
 Clinical Result:
 Derived from the fruit and seed of the tree. Bitter melon has been used to treat diabetes, cancer, viral infections, and immune disorders. Data suggest that a significant hypoglycemic effect occurs in both healthy and diabetic patients. However, bitter melon should not be used in place of mainstream therapies. In vitro and animal studies indicate antiviral activity against HIV and herpes,cytotoxic effects against leukemic cells, and cytostatic effects in breast cancer,but related human studies have not been conducted. Children and pregnant women should not use bitter melon because of its potential toxicity. Reported adverse effects include hypoglycemia and hepatotoxicity. There is a potential for additive effect when bitter melon is combined with insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents. A clinical trial demonstrated no effect on natural killer cell activity in cervical cancer patients
 Warnings:
 Red arils (covering on seed) are reportedly toxic in children, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and death.

Last PageNext Page

Reference:

citations1.Bitter melon or Momordica charantia,Bitter gourd,bitter apple,wild cucumber,bitter cucumber,balsam pear,karela.

last edit date:28th,April.2009.