Bitter Melon (Memordica charantia) has a long history of use as a food and as a hypoglycemic agent. This article reviews scientific evidence of its efficacy for treating diabetes mellitus and reviews studies on this plant’s effects on pregnancy and fertility, and use as an abortifacient, an understanding of which is important to bitter melon’s safe use.Bitter melon contains several chemical ingredients, including the glycosides momordin and charantin. Polypeptide P, charantin and vicine are the specific components thought to have blood glucose-lowering effects.
Other possible mechanisms in diabetes include increased tissue glucose uptake, liver and muscle glycogen synthesis, inhibition of enzymes involved in glucose production and enhanced glucose oxidation. Bitter melon should be used with caution by young women of childbearing age since it may induce menstruation and inadvertently cause abortion if the woman is pregnant.
There is no information about its use in lactating women, so it should be avoided.
Children should not use bitter melon because serious adverse effects have occurred, including hypoglycemic coma.
There is no traditional dose of bitter melon since different forms are in use, including juice, powder, vegetable pulp suspensions and injectable forms.
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