Changes

{{SPlantbox

{{SPlantbox

|common_name=Bitter melon

|common_name=Bitter melon

|Min ht metric=cm

|Min ht metric=cm

|Temp Metric=°F

|Temp Metric=°F

|jumpin=This is the plant information box - for information on light; water; zones; height; etc. If it is mostly empty you can help grow this page by clicking on the edit tab and filling in the blanks!

|jumpin=This is the plant information box - for information on light; water; zones; height; etc. If it is mostly empty you can help grow this page by clicking on the edit tab and filling in the blanks!

|image=Upload.png

|image=Charantia_flower.jpg

|image_width=240

|image_width=180

}}

}}

'''''Momordica charantia''''' is a tropical and subtropical [[vine]] of the family [[Cucurbitaceae]], widely grown for edible [[fruit]], which is among the most bitter of all [[vegetable|vegetables]].  [[English language|English]] names for the plant and its fruit include '''bitter melon''' or '''bitter gourd'''. The original home of the species is not known, other than that it is a native of the tropics.  

 

 

 

'''''Momordica charantia''''' is a tropical and subtropical [[vine]] of the family [[Cucurbitaceae]], widely grown for edible [[fruit]], which is among the most bitter of all [[vegetable|vegetables]].  [[English language|English]] names for the plant and its fruit include '''bitter melon''' or '''bitter gourd''' (translated from {{zh-cp|c=苦瓜|p=kǔguā}}). The original home of the species is not known, other than that it is a native of the tropics. It is widely grown in [[India]] (''Karela'' करेला in [[Hindi]]), [[South Asia]], [[Southeast Asia]], [[China]], [[Africa]] and the [[Caribbean]].

 

 

Also known as ''Ku gua'', the [[herbaceous]], [[tendril]]-bearing vine grows to 5 m.  It bears simple, [[Leaf shape|alternate]] leaves 4-12 cm across, with 3-7 deeply separated lobes.  Each plant bears separate yellow male and female [[flower|flowers]].

Also known as ''Ku gua'', the [[herbaceous]], [[tendril]]-bearing vine grows to 5 m.  It bears simple, [[Leaf shape|alternate]] leaves 4-12 cm across, with 3-7 deeply separated lobes.  Each plant bears separate yellow male and female [[flower|flowers]].

The fruit has a distinct warty looking exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large flat seeds and pith. Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, ripening to red; they are intensely bitter and must be removed before cooking. The flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to [[cucumber]], [[chayote]] or green [[bell pepper]]. The skin is tender and edible. The fruit is most often eaten green. Although it can also be eaten when it has started to ripen and turn yellowish, it becomes more bitter as it ripens. The fully ripe fruit turns orange and mushy, is too bitter to eat, and splits into segments which curl back dramatically to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp. [[Image:Bitter melon seeds.jpg|thumb|Bitter melon seeds, each seed about 1.3 cm long.]]

The fruit has a distinct warty looking exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large flat seeds and pith. Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, ripening to red; they are intensely bitter and must be removed before cooking. The flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to [[cucumber]], [[chayote]] or green [[bell pepper]]. The skin is tender and edible. The fruit is most often eaten green. Although it can also be eaten when it has started to ripen and turn yellowish, it becomes more bitter as it ripens. The fully ripe fruit turns orange and mushy, is too bitter to eat, and splits into segments which curl back dramatically to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp.

   

   

Bitter Gourd comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese [[phenotype]] is 20 to 30 cm long, oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface.  The bitter melon more typical of [[India]] has a narrower shape with pointed ends, and a surface covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. Coloration is green or white. Between these two extremes are any number of intermediate forms. Some bear miniature fruit of only 6 - 10 cm in length, which may be served individually as stuffed vegetables. These miniature fruit are popular in [[Southeast Asia]] as well as India.

Bitter Gourd comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese [[phenotype]] is 20 to 30 cm long, oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface.  The bitter melon more typical of [[India]] has a narrower shape with pointed ends, and a surface covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. Coloration is green or white. Between these two extremes are any number of intermediate forms. Some bear miniature fruit of only 6 - 10 cm in length, which may be served individually as stuffed vegetables. These miniature fruit are popular in [[Southeast Asia]] as well as India.

[[Image:Goya Chanpuru Large.JPG|thumb|A small green bitter melon (front) and a scoop of Okinawan ''gōyā champurū'' stirfry (back)]]

Momordica charantia, Linn. Balsam Pear. Running 10 ft. or more, the st. slightly pubescent and furrowed: lvs. roundish, dull green, pubescent beneath (at least on the ribs), 5-7 lobes with rounded sinuses, the lobes sharp-toothed and notched: fls. yellow, 1 in. across, both the sterile and fertile solitary: fr. yellowish, oblong, pointed, furrowed lengthwise and tuberculate, 6 or 7 in. long, at maturity splitting into 3 divisions and disclosing the bright scarlet arils of the white or brown carved- seeds. Trop. Asia and Afr., and naturalized in W. Indies.—The Chinese gardeners about the American cities grow this plant under the name of la-kwa, for the edible pulpy arils surrounding the seeds, and also for the edible fr. itself (which is prepared, usually by boiling, before it is ripe). The rind is sometimes dried and used in medicinal preparations. The odd seeds cause it to be called the "art pumpkin" by some persons.

Bitter melons are seldom mixed with other vegetables due to the strong bitter taste, although this can be moderated to some extent by salting and then washing the cut melon before use.  

Var abbreviata, Ser. (M. zeylanica, Mill.). Plant smaller: lobes of lvs. narrower: fr. shorter, ovate- mucronate, with rows of sharp spines; seeds small, commonly smooth. In the tropics.—Perhaps specifically distinct; but M. Charantia runs into many forms.

===Pests and diseases===

n slices consumed with dried [[meat floss]] and bitter melon soup with shrimp are popular dishes.

Bitter melons have been used in various Asian [[traditional medicine]] systems for a long time [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15182917&query_hl=11&itool=pubmed_docsum]. Like most bitter-tasting foods, bitter melon stimulates digestion. While this can be helpful in people with sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, and constipation, it can sometimes make heartburn and ulcers worse. The fact that bitter melon is also a [[demulcent]] and at least mild inflammation modulator, however, means that it rarely does have these negative effects, based on clinical experience and traditional reports.

==Gallery==

Perhaps the best substantiated use to date is that of bitter melon for people with diabetes mellitus. Several preliminary (non-randomized, non-blinded) clinical trials suggest this benefit, though controlled trials are necessary for confirmation [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed]. In the Philippines, bitter melon tea is used in blood sugar control for poor people as exemplified in the very successful Operation Diabetes [http://www.operationdiabetes.com]. For a detailed review of studies involving bitter melon and diabetes, see Abascal and Yarnell 2005.

<gallery perrow=5>

 

Image:bittermelonfruit.jpg|Bitter melons

In [[Ayurveda|ayurvedic]] medicine, bitter melon is popularly seen as a "plant-insulin." It has been demonstrated that bitter melon contains a protein similar to bovine insulin, sometimes referred to as p-insulin or polypeptide-p (Baldwa, et al. 1977). When purified and injected subcutaneously into patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), it acted very similar to slow-acting animal insulins and was able to sustain patients [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed]. One child in this small study who previously had many side effects from bovine insulin was able to use p-insulin exclusively for 5 months with no sign of problems. This represents the potential for a vegetarian alternative to animal insulin for patients with IDDM, as well as a potentially more sustainable source of insulin, and should be further developed. It is not possible to substitute eating bitter melon for taking insulin.

Image:Goya Chanpuru Large.JPG|A small green bitter melon (front) and a scoop of Okinawan ''gōyā champurū'' stirfry (back)

 

Image:Upload.png| photo 1

Though it has been claimed that bitter melon’s bitterness comes from [[quinine]],[http://www.bittermelon.org/Nutritional_Information.htm] no evidence could be located supporting this claim. Bitter melon is traditionally regarded by [[Asians]], as well as [[Panamanians]] and [[Colombians]], as useful for preventing and treating [[malaria]]. Laboratory studies have confirmed that various species of bitter melon have anti-malarial activity, though human studies have not yet been published [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15848033&query_hl=6&itool=pubmed_docsum].

Image:Upload.png| photo 2

 

Image:Upload.png| photo 3

Laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating [[HIV]] infection [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11458453&query_hl=19&itool=pubmed_docsum]. As most compounds isolated from bitter melon that impact HIV have either been proteins or glycosproteins (lectins), neither of

which are well-absorbed, it is unlikely that oral intake of bitter melon will slow HIV in infected people. It is possible oral ingestion of bitter melon could offset negative effects of anti-HIV drugs, if a test tube study can be shown to be true in people [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16847441&query_hl=19&itool=pubmed_docsum]. In one preliminary clinical trial, an enema form of a bitter melon extract showed some benefits in people infected with HIV (Zhang 1992). Clearly more research is necessary before this could be recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

* [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''gōyā''

 

* [[Taiwanese (linguistics)|Taiwanese]]: 苦瓜 ''ko guai'

* [[Burmese language|Burmese]]: ''kyethinkhathee''

 

* [[Arabic language|Arabic]]: ''Hanzal''

* [[Portuguese (language)|Portuguese]]: melão-de-são-caetano

* [[Thai language|Thai]]:  มะระจีน ''marajin'' or มะระ ''mara''

* [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]]: khổ qua

 

 

* A "bitter Gourd face" (苦瓜臉) is a common Chinese description for an angry or serious face.

 

 

 

* Baldwa VS, Bhandari CM, Pangaria A, Goyal RK (1977) “Clinical trial in patients with diabetes mellitus of an insulin-like compound obtained from plant source” Upsala J Med Sci 82:39-41.

*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

== External links ==

==External links==

{{commons|Momordica charantia}}

*{{wplink}}