Bitter Melon (Karela) - for Diabetes Mellitus

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Scientific classification / Karela
Kingdom: / Plantae
Division: / Magnoliophyta
Class: / Magnoliopsida
Order: / Cucurbitales
Family: / Cucurbitaceae
Genus: / Momordica
Species: / M. charantia
/
Binomial name / Momordica charantia

According to ayurveda it contains

1.  Gunna (properties) laghu (light), ruksh (dry)

2.  Rasa (taste) katu (pungent) and tikta (bitter)

3.  Virya (potency) ushna (hot)

INTRODUCTION

Karela is an herb know world wide for its well-known results in diabetes mellitus. A wonder of nature is that, it is not only beneficial in diabetes mellitus but is also very beneficial in many other disorders that have been troubling mankind, A commonly grown everywhere herb of India. It is generally found in places, which are damp and wet. It is a creeper and it climbs on other trees for supports. Generally whole plat is used but some people in India also uses outer layer of the fruit. This exotic hear is ushan virya in potency, and possess laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) properties. It possesses tickt and katu rasa. Combination of these properties makes it the real natures wonder. Due to combination of these properties it makes Karela a magic potion for diseases. Karelas chemical constituents are lectin, charatin and momordicine. It also contains a polypeptide named gurmarin, which is similar to insulin in composition. Exact action is still unknown but it is well established that regular use of Karela has very good results in diseases like diabetes etc

Benefits of Karela

(i)  Anorexia


Bitter melon is an appetite stimulant. Hence it is used in the treatment of anorexia, a disorder in which a person is unable to eat the required amount of food.
(ii) Blood Impurities


Bitter gourd is used as a blood purifier due to its bitter tonic properties. It can heal boils and other blood related problems that show up on the skin. For treatment, a cupful of the juice of the bitter melon must be taken each day in the morning, with a teaspoon of the juice of the citrus lemon in it.
(iii) Diabetes Mellitus


A lot has been written lately about the very beneficial aspects of bitter melon in the treatment of diabetes. As already discussed above, bitter melon has a host of bitter chemicals in which, which are hypoglycemic in action. It also has at least one substance that is like the insulin secreted by the human pancreatic glands. Hence, bitter melon is extremely effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
(iv) Diarrhea


For diarrhea, the juice of a bitter melon is mixed with the juice of the spring onions, both two teaspoons in quantity. This is then added with the juice of a lemon. This juice is given to the patient twice a day. This remedy is also effective in curing the diarrhea that is caused due to cholera.


(v) Hangovers


The juice of the bitter melon is excellent remedy for hangovers. It is also very beneficial in preventing the liver damage that occurs due to excessive alcoholism.
(vi) Piles


In case of piles, the fresh juice of bitter melons is prescribed to the patient with positive results. Three teaspoons of juice of the bitter melon leaves is to be extracted each morning, added to a glassful of buttermilk and then consumed on an empty stomach. Carrying on this routine for thirty days will treat piles completely. Even externally, the paste of the leaves of the piles can be applied over the hemorrhoids.
(vii) Pyorrhea


Pyorrhea is bleeding from the gums. Including bitter melon in the daily diet or having some of its juice every morning on an empty stomach helps to reduce this problem.

Pharmacological Action

It contains Gurmarin, a polypeptide considered to be similar to bovine insulin, which has been shown in experimental studies to achieve a positive sugar regulating effect by suppressing the neural response to sweet taste stimuli.

Bitter melon principle constituents are lectins, charantin and momordicine. The fruits have long been used in India as a folk remedy for diabetes mellitus. Lectins from the bitter gourd have shown significant antilipolytic and lipogenic activities.

The fruits and leaves of the plant contain two alkaloids, one of them being momordicine. The plant is reported to contain a glucoside, a saponin-like substance, a resin with an unpleasant taste, an aromatic volatile oil and a mucilage. The seeds contain an alkaloid (m.p. 236°) and an anthelmintic principle in the germ; they also contain urease.

The fruits, leaves and extracts of Momordica charantia has been reported to possess pharmacological properties and medicinal uses. Bitter gourd being rich in all the essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, B1, B2, C and Iron, its regular use helps to prevent many complications such as hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and defective metabolism of carbohydrates. It increases body's resistance against infection.

Bitter gourd is a highly beneficial help in the treatment of blood disorders like blood boils, scabies, itching, psoriasis, ring-worm and other fungal diseases.

Action:

  • Helps achieve positive sugar regulating effect by suppressing the neural response to sweet taste stimuli.
  • Helpful in Diabetes Mellitus.
  • Lectins from bitter gourd have shown significant antilipolytic and lipogenic activities.
  • It is useful as an emtic, purgative, as an anthelmentic, in piles, leprosy, and jaundice.

Clinical Studies:

Clinical Studies p-Insulin was tested in a controlled clinical trial. In juvenile diabetics, the peak hypoglycemic effect was observed after 1-8 hrs; in patients with maturity onset diabetes, maximum fall in blood sugar level was noted after 12 hrs. Karela or Bitter Melon has also been reported to show hypocholesteroemic activity. Recent researches by a team of British doctors have established that it contains a hypoglycaemic or insulin-like principle, designated as 'plant-insulin', which has been found highly beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, be included liberally in the diet of the diabetic.

Rich in iron, bitter melon has twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, twice the potassium of bananas, and contains vitamins C and B 1 to 3, phosphorus and good dietary fiber. It is believed to be good for the liver and has been proven by western scientists to contain insulin, act as an anti-tumor agent, and inhibit HIV-1 infection

At least three diverse groups of components in bitter melon been have indicated to have hypoglyceamic actions (sugar of the blood that lower) or others of the potential advantage in mellitus of the diabetes. These include a mixture of saponins steroidal known like charantin, insulin-like peptides, and the alkaloids. It continues being nonunderstandable that of these is most effective, or if work three together. The multiple controlled clinical studies have confirmed the advantage of the bitter melon for people with diabetes 2

DRUG INTERACTIONS

If taking with other anti-diabetic medications, please monitor your blood sugar levels closely as there is a risk of blood sugar levels dropping below normal.

Research Done On Bitter Melon

Antioxidant properties of Momordica Charantia (bitter gourd) seeds on Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Sathishsekar D, Subramanian S.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Madras, Chennai-25, India.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract of seeds of two varieties, namely a country and hybrid variety of Momordica charantia (MCSEt1 and MCSEt2) respectively in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of both the seed extracts at a concentration of 150 mg/kg b.w for 30 days showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose, hepatic and renal thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroperoxides. The treatment also resulted in a significant increase in reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-s-transferase in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats. The results clearly suggest that seeds of Momordica charantia treated group may effectively normalize the impaired antioxidant status in streptozotocin induced-diabetes than the glibenclamide treated groups. The extract exerted rapid protective effects against lipid peroxidation by scavenging of free radicals there by reducing the risk of diabetic complications. The effect was more pronounced in MCSEt1 compared to MCSEt2.

Combined treatment of sodium orthovanadate and Momordica charantia fruit extract prevents alterations in lipid profile and lipogenic enzymes in alloxan diabetic rats.

Yadav UC, Moorthy K, Baquer NZ.

Hormone and Drug Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

Momordica charantia Linn., commonly called bitter gourd, is a medicinal plant used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for treating various diseases including diabetes mellitus. Sodium orthovanadate (SOV) is also well-known insulin mimetic and an antidiabetic compound. Our laboratory has been using reduced doses of SOV along with administration of herbal extracts to alloxan diabetic rats and has established this combination as a good antihyperglycemic agent. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of treatment of Momordica fruit extract (MFE) and sodium orthovanadate, separately and in combination, on serum and tissue lipid profile and on the activities of lipogenic enzymes in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The results show that there was a significant (p < 0.01) increase in serum total lipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels after 21 days of alloxan diabetes. In the liver and kidney of diabetic rats the levels of total lipids and triglycerides also increased significantly (p < 0.01) while levels of total cholesterol decreased significantly (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). The lipogenic enzymes showed decreased activity in the diabetic liver, while in kidney they showed an increased activity. When compared with the controls these changes were significant. The treatment of alloxan diabetic rats with MFE and SOV prevented these alterations and maintained all parameters near control values. Most effective prevention was however observed in a combined treatment of Momordica with a reduced dose of SOV (0.2%). The results suggest that Momordica fruit extract and SOV exhibit hypolipidemic as well as hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats and their effect is pronounced when administered in combination.

The effects of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) extracts on serum and liver lipid parameters in hamsters fed cholesterol-free and cholesterol-enriched diets.

Senanayake GV, Maruyama M, Sakono M, Fukuda N, Morishita T, Yukizaki C, Kawano M, Ohta H.

Department of Biochemistry and Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.

The hypolipidemic effect of dietary methanol fraction (BMMF) extracted from bitter melon (Koimidori variety), at the levels of 0.5% and 1.0%, was examined in male golden Syrian hamsters fed diets supplemented with and without cholesterol. The feeding of BMMF at 0.5% and 1.0% levels in the diets for 4 wk tended to reduce food intake and growth, although there was no difference in food efficiency (weight gain/food intake). An effect of dietary BMMF on serum triglyceride was not seen in hamsters fed diets free of cholesterol, while hypertriglyceridemia induced by dietary cholesterol was significantly lowered in a dose-dependent manner in those fed diets containing the BMMF Serum total cholesterol concentration also tended to decrease in a dose-dependent manner following feeding of increasing amounts of BMMF in the presence and absence of cholesterol in the diet. The effects of dietary BMMF on liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels were marginal, although dietary cholesterol caused a marked accumulation of these lipid molecules in the liver. These results suggest that the BMMF contains some components that could ameliorate lipid disorders such as hyperlipidemia.

References:

  • Alberti, K.G.M.M. & Zimmet P. Z. (1998) Definition, diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Part 1: diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus provisional report of a WHO consultation. Diabetes Med. 13: 539–553.
  • Marles, R. & Farnsworth, N. R. (1995) Antidiabetic plants and their active constituents. Phytomedicine 2: 137–189.
  • Srivastava, Y., Venkatakrishna-Bhatt, H. & Verma, Y. (1988) Effects of Momordica charantia Linn. pomous aqueous extract on cataractogenesis in murrin alloxan diabetics. Pharmacol. Res. Commun. 20: 201–209.
  • Srivastava Y., Venkatakrishna-Bhatt H., Verma Y., Venkaiah, K. & Raval, B. H. (1993) Antidiabetic and adaptogenic properties of Momordica charantia extract: an experimental and clinical evaluation. Phytother. Res. 7: 285–289.
  • Shibib, B. A., Khan, L. A. & Rahman, R. (1993) Hypoglycemic activity of Coccinia indica and Momordica charantia in diabetic rats: depression of the hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6- bisphosphatase and elevation of both liver and red-cell shunt enzyme glucose- 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Biochem J. 292: 267–270.
  • Akhtar, M. S., Athar, M. A. & Yaqub, M. (1981) Effect of Momordica charantia on blood glucose level of normal and alloxan-diabetic rabbits. Planta Med. 42: 205–212.
  • Leatherdale, B. A., Panesar, R. K., Singh, G., Atkins, T. W., Bailey, C. J. & Bignell, A. H. C. (1981) Improvement in glucose tolerance due to Momordica charantia (Karela). Br. Med. J. 282: 1823–1824.
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