Bitter gourd or Bitter melon, botanically, Momordica charantia is a well-known Indian vegetable, helpful for the remedy of diabetes, intestinal worms, sin illness, wounds and acts as blood air purifier.
Latin Title- Momordica charantia Linn.
Household- Cucurbitaceae

Vernacular names
Bitter melon: Names in several languages:
Hindi name- Karela
English name- Bitter gourd, Balsam pear, Bitter melon
Bengali Title- Karla, Uchhe
Gujarati Title- Kareli
Kannada Title- Hagalakai
Marathi Title- Karle
Malayalam Title- Kaippakka
Tamil Title- Pavaikkari
Telugu name- Kakar
Sanskrit synonyms
Sanskrit Synonyms of karela:
Kathillam – It imparts good results on physique Kandira, Kandakatuka, Sukanda, Ugrakanda, Katilla
Sushavi – Fruit yield many fruits
Karavellaka is a climber rising within the temperate area of India. It’s cultivated for its vegetable use. The flowers are yellow in coloration and the fruit has triangular ridges within the outer facet and grows as much as 15-20 cm in size. The fruit is bitter in style.

Classical categorization
Charaka samhita- Tikta skanda – bitter group of herbs
Sushruta samhita- Aragwadadi gana
Vagbhata- Aragwadadi gana
Bhavaprakasha- Shaka varga
Kaiyyadeva Nighantu- Oushadhi varga
Shodala Nighantu- Guduchyadi varga
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Cucurbitales
Household: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Momordica
Species: M. charantia
Morphology
Annual herbaceous climber
Stem – Aerial, herbaceous
Leaves – Easy, alternate, multicostate reticulate venation
Inflorescence – Solitary
Flowers – yellow with 5 petals
Fruits -Berry
Seeds are immersed in crimson pulp
Properties, half used, dosage
Momordica charantia – Medicinal properties:
Rasa (Style) – Tikta (Bitter), Katu (Pungent)
Guna (Qualities) – Laghu (Gentle), Ruksha (Dry)
Vipaka- Katu (Undergoes Pungent style after digestion)
Veerya (Efficiency) – Ahima (neither a coolant, nor sizzling, as per Kaiyadeva Nighantu), Chilly, as per Bhavaprakasha.
Karma (Motion) – Kapha pitta hara (reduces vitiated kapha and pitta dosha), Deepana (induce urge for food)
Half used- Leaf, Fruit
Dosage- Recent juice 10-20 ml.
As per Bhojana Kutuhalam, karavella is penetrating in nature, sizzling in efficiency, alleviates doshas, promotes energy and acts as anti-toxicant. It treats praseka, dyspnoea, cough, hemorrhoids, worm infestation, pores and skin ailments and fever.
Varieties
Okay. Ni 2 varieties
Briht karavella
Laghu karavella
Karela juice for weight problems
Will consuming karela juice scale back weight problems?
It reduces weight problems, as it’s de-nourishing in nature (1).
It additionally lowers blood sugar ranges. Precaution is required for diabetics on treatment.
It could trigger extreme dryness of pores and skin and inner organs.
Taking 15-20 ml of it 2 – 3 instances per week, after meals ought to be good.
Chemical constituents
Bitter gourd – Chemical constituents:
The fruit incorporates 5-hydroxytryptamine, charantin, diosgenin, lanosterol and betasitosterol. It additionally incorporates bitter rules cucurbitacin glycosides. The fruits and seeds yields polypeptide insulin referred to as as p- insulin, alpha and beta glycoproteins. The seed additionally incorporates hypoglycemic constituent vicine. One other protein referred to as as MRK-29 is discovered within the smaller number of bitter guard.
Makes use of, Sanskrit verse
Medicinal makes use of of Bitter melon:
- The juice of the contemporary fruit of karavellaka is given in a dose of 20-25 ml to cut back the sugar stage in blood.
- The paste of the leaf of Momordia charantia is utilized over the realm affected with pores and skin ailments like eczema. The paste can also be utilized to deal with wounds and exterior pile mass.
- The contemporary juice of the fruit is given in a dose of 15-20 ml to deal with intestinal worms, anorexia and liver problems.
- The fruit is minimize into small items and given to deal with instances of fever.
- The juice of the fruit and leaves of karavellaka is given to deal with situations of amenorrhea and to purify the breast milk (as sthanya shodhana).
- The juice of the fruit is consumed each day in a dose of 20-25 ml to detox the blood and act like a blood air purifier.
- The fruit is used as a vegetable and is discovered in lots of cuisines all around the world.

Ayurvedic makes use of of Karela:
karela leaves –
Pathya – may be taken as a part of meals
Pittala – Will increase Pitta Dosha
Krumihara – helpful in worm infestation, contaminated wounds
Bitter melon Fruit –
Deepana – improves digestion energy
Bhedana – causes gentle laxative impact
Avrushya – Un-aphrodisiac
Indications
Arochaka – anorexia
Pittasra – Raktapitta –Bleeding problems resembling nasal bleeding, heavy durations, and so on
Pandu – anemia
Vrana – Ulcers, wounds
Krumi – worm infestation
Shwasa – bronchial asthma and power respiratory problems
Kasa – cough, chilly
Prameha – Urinary tract problems, diabetes
Asra – blood problems resembling abscess, pores and skin problems, bleeding problems resembling menorrhagia, nasal bleeding and so on.
Kotha – allergic pores and skin dysfunction
Kushta – pores and skin ailments
Jwara – fever
Easy methods to eat bitter lemon?
Fruits are made into slices, put into mixer to extract juice. Juice is instantly consumed in 10 – 30 ml, by many diabetic sufferers. This can be a very bitter treatment.
Boiled fruits are consumed.
It’s used as just like any vegetable.
Adversarial results
Adversarial results of Bitter gourd:
Reported uncomfortable side effects embody diarrhea, stomach ache, fever, hypoglycemia, urinary incontinence, and chest ache. Signs had been typically gentle, didn’t require remedy, and resolved with relaxation.
Interplay with medicines, dietary supplements
Can this be used whereas taking Homeopathic medication?
Sure. This product doesn’t react with homeopathic medication.
Can
this medication be continued whereas taking dietary supplements like multivitamin tablets,
Omega 3 fatty acids and so on?
Sure. Usually, this product goes nicely with most
of the dietary dietary supplements. Nonetheless, if you’re taking a couple of product
per day, please seek the advice of your physician for an opinion.
With western
medicines
Search your
physician’s recommendation if you’re taking this product together with different western
(allopathic / trendy) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can work together with trendy
medication.
If each Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are suggested collectively, then it’s
finest to take Allopathic medication first, await half-hour after which take the
Ayurvedic medication.
Ayurvedic medicines
Ayurvedic medicines containing Karela as ingredient:
Brihat Sarwa Jwarahara Lauh: That is an ayurvedic medication in pill kind and is given to deal with all forms of fever. This formulation incorporates metals in its powder kind.
Aragwadadi kashaya: That is an ayurvedic medication in decoction kind used for the remedy of varied pores and skin ailments, wounds and kaphaja jwara.
Diabac pill: It’s a proprietary ayurvedic medication used to deal with diabetes and problems arising out of the illness.
Glukostat capsule: Glukostat Capsule is a pancreatic stimulant and insulin sensitizer and is utilized in diabetic situation.
Diabegon capsule: Diabegon Capsule is a proprietary Ayurvedic medication, manufactured by Dindayal Industries Ltd, Gwalior. It’s used within the remedy of diabetes.
Choles capsule: It’s a proprietary ayurvedic medication used to deal with hyper lipidemia.
Nidd forte tablets: It’s a proprietary ayurvedic medication used to deal with non- insulin dependent diabetes.
Restrict capsules: It’s a proprietary ayurvedic medication used to deal with non- insulin dependent diabetes.
Analysis articles
Analysis articles on Karavellaka:
Anti- diabetic impact: It has been estimated that as much as one-third of sufferers with diabetes mellitus use some type of complementary and different medication. Plentiful pre-clinical research have documented within the anti-diabetic and hypoglycemic results of M. charantia by way of varied postulated mechanisms. Nonetheless, scientific trial knowledge with human topics are restricted and flawed by poor research design and low statistical energy. The current overview is an try to spotlight the anti- diabetic exercise in addition to phytochemical and pharmacological stories on M. charantia.
Anti- malarial profit: This experiment investigated the results of M.charantia L. and M.jalapa L. on malaria in a 4-day suppressive check. Animals obtained 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg of methanolic extracts orally. M.charantia and M. jalapa methanolic extracts had intrinsic antimalarial properties that had been dose-dependent. The outcome confirmed that M.charantia was efficient in suppressing malaria on the highest dose examined (200 mg/kg) whereas M. jalapa gave the very best chemo suppression of parasitemia on the lowest examined dose of fifty mg/kg physique weight of mice.
To regulate weight problems: Momordica charantia (bitter melon, BM) is a conventional Chinese language meals and well-known for its perform of lowering physique weight achieve and insulin resistance. On this research, C57BL/6 mice had been fed excessive fats weight loss plan (HFD) with or with out BM for 12 weeks. BM-contained diets ameliorated HFD-induced weight problems and insulin resistance. Histological and real-time PCR evaluation demonstrated BM not solely decreased macrophage infiltration into epididymal adipose tissues (EAT) and brown adipose tissues (BAT). Stream cytometry present that BM might modify the M1/M2 phenotype ratio of macrophages in EAT.
Hepato-protective motion: The intention of this research was to analyze the anti- hyperglycemic exercise of Momordica charantia fruit on alloxan induced diabetic mice and its antitoxic impact on liver. Mice had been alloxanized (alloxan monohydrate 150 mg/kg physique weight administered intraperitoneally) and aqueous extract of Momordica charantia on the charge of 100 mg/kg physique weight was administered for 21 days to guage its anti- hyperglycemic exercise. There serum glucose ranges in addition to the Liver Perform Checks (LFT) – SGPT, SGOT and complete bilirubin ranges had been analyzed statistically utilizing ANOVA and Dunnett’s assessments
Balsam-pear (bitter gourd), leafy ideas, uncooked
Style – Bitter, Pungent
Properties – mild, dry
Efficiency – Scorching
After digestion style transformation ( Vipaka ) – Pungent
Impact on Doshas
Vata growing
Pitta balancing
Kapha balancing
Balsam-pear (bitter gourd), leafy ideas, cooked, boiled, drained, with out salt
Style – Bitter, Pungent
Properties – mild, dry (turns into extra mild o boiling)
Efficiency – Scorching
After digestion style transformation ( Vipaka ) – Pungent
Impact on Doshas
Vata growing (extra Vata growing than uncooked bitter gourd)
Pitta balancing
Kapha balancing (extra Kapha balancing than uncooked bitter gourd attributable to elevated lightness)
Balsam-pear (bitter gourd), pods, uncooked
Style – Bitter, Pungent
Properties – mild, dry
Efficiency – Scorching
After digestion style transformation ( Vipaka ) – Pungent
Impact on Doshas
Vata growing
Pitta balancing
Kapha balancing
Balsam-pear, pods, cooked, boiled, drained, with out salt
Style – Bitter, Pungent
Properties – mild, dry (turns into extra mild on boiling)
Efficiency – Scorching
After digestion style transformation ( Vipaka ) – Pungent
Impact on Doshas
Vata growing (extra Vata growing than uncooked bitter gourd)
Pitta balancing
Kapha balancing (extra Kapha balancing)
Balsam-pear (bitter gourd), leafy ideas, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt
Rasa – Bitter, Pungent, barely salty
Guna – mild, dry (turns into extra mild o boiling)
Veerya – Scorching
Vipaka – Pungent
Impact on Doshas
Vata growing (extra Vata growing than uncooked bitter gourd)
Pitta nourishing (as salt is sizzling in efficiency and will increase Pitta)
Kapha balancing (extra Kapha balancing than uncooked bitter gourd attributable to elevated lightness)
Balsam-pear, pods, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt
Rasa – Bitter, Pungent, barely salty
Guna – mild, dry (turns into extra mild on boiling)
Veerya – Scorching
Vipaka – Pungent
Impact on Doshas
Vata growing (extra Vata growing than uncooked bitter gourd)
Pitta nourishing (as salt is sizzling in efficiency and will increase Pitta)
Kapha balancing (extra Kapha balancing)
Writer:
Dr.B.Okay.Prashanth M.D (Ayu), Ph.D
E mail: [email protected]