Momordica Charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae)
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A slender, climbing annual with long stalked leaves, deeply cordate at the base and palmately 5 to 9 lobed. Solitary male and female flowers are borne in leaf axis. The fruit is warty-looking gourd, usually oblong and resembling the ordinary cucumber in shape. Actually, there are 8 to 10 longitudinal ridges, between which are many smooth, irregular outgrowths. The young fruit is emerald green turning to orange-yellow when ripe. The fruit is never hard but splits at maturity into three irregular valves that curl backwards and release numerous brown or white seeds enclosed in scarlet arils. The generic name "Momordica" comes from Latin meaning "to bite", referring to the jagged edges of the seed which appears as if it has been bitten.
Origin
Momordica is a genus of about 42 species, mainly African, and several species are
cultivated for their edible fruits.
Health benefits: Fresh juice of unripe bitter melon has been confirmed in
scientific studies in animals and human to have blood-sugar-lowering action. Bitter
melon contains a compound known as charantin that is more potent that drug tolbutamide,
which is often used in the treatment of diabetes
to lower blood sugar levels. It also contains an insulin like compound
referred to as polypeptide-P or vegetable insulin which has been suggested as replacements
for insulin in some patients with diabetes. The ripe bitter melon has been
shown to exhibit some rather profound anticancer effects, especially in leukaemia.
Small and immature bitter gourd can be parboiled in salted water or rubbed with some salt to remove part of the bitterness. On account of its bitter taste, it is relished by the Chinese as a tonic vegetable.