
Bitter Melon
Scientific: | Momordica charantia |
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Other: | Bitter Melon, Karela |
Indications
Endocrine
• non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)
Gastrointestinal
• stomach ulcers
• colitis
• diarrhea
• peptic ulcer
Gynecological
• dysmenorrhea
Infections
• HIV (in vitro)
• herpes simplex virus (in vitro)
• Helicobacter pylori (in vitro)
• dengue fever
Dermatologic
• wound healing (topically)
Cancer
• prostate cancer (in vivo & in vitro)
• leukemia
Actions
• hypoglycemic
• anticancer
• bitter
• antihelmintic
• antimalarial
• antiviral
• cardioprotective
• abortifacient
• emmenagogue
Constituents
• steroidal saponins (momordicoside)
• triterpenoids
• fatty acids (eleostearic acid)
• polypeptides
Posology
• Freshly juiced 1-4 tbsp/day
Safety
Pregnancy - should be avoided because high doses have been used as an abortifacient
Oral hypoglycemics - can potentiate insulin and other oral hypoglycemic agents. Monitor patients approrpriately.
References
Barnes J, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines, 3rd ed. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2007.
Bone K. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.
Bone K. A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs: Herbal Formulations for the Individual Patient. St Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone, 2003.
Brinker F. The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines, 3rd ed. Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications, 2000.
Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King's American Dispensatory. 1898. http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/eclectic/kings/main.html. Accessed: August 19, 2006.
Hoffman D. Medical Herbalism. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 2003.
Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Beaconsfield, England: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd, 1988.
Williamson EM, ed. Major Herbs of Ayurveda. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2002
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