bimbima (/health)
Daily life experience of ayurvedic medicines, complementary therapies.
Bitter gourd(Karela) leaves
Medicinal uses
21. April 2015 Anupama (http://www.bimbima.com/health/author/Admin.aspx)
Bitter gourd or Bitter melon is a very well-known and commonly available
vegetable. There are several nutritional and medicinal benets of eating this
bitter vegetable. It is good source of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and
minerals. . You may eat immature bitter melons raw (as juice) or can cook it as
vegetable. The juice is taken as medicine for treating many clinical conditions
including diabetes.
By Shihchuan from (Taipei City), (Taiwan) (2010-07-14 186 01)[CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia
Commons
Bitter melon grows on a fast-growing climbing vine with thin stem and soft
tendrils. The vine can reach six feet or more and requires support. It is a relative
of cucumber, gourds, squashes, and melon and requires similar growing habits.
Bitter gourd plant leaves are also edible. In some countries leaves and young
shoots are used as flavouring agents. The leaves can also be cooked and eaten
as leafy vegetables and for making teas.
Bitter gourd leaves contain many bioactive constituents and are full of
medicinal properties. The leaves are used for treatment of wide variety of
ailments such as diabetes, dysentery, rheumatism and gout, viral diseases,
respiratory ailments etc. from time immemorial. Studies have shown
hypoglycaemic activity of bitter gourd leaves comparable to that of tolbutamide
(rst-generation potassium channel blocker oral hypoglycaemic drug of
sulfonylurea class).
The leaves of plant has anti-diabetic, anti-hyperglycaemic, anthelminthic,
anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, emetic, purgative, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-ulcerogenic
and antiviral properties against chicken pox, measles. In some countries, the
tea or decoction prepared from bitter gourd leaves is used as aphrodisiac and
also taken by women as a measure for birth control.
Vernacular names
Assamese:Kakiral, Kakral
Bengali:Karolla
English:bitter gourd, balsam pear, bitter melon, bitter cucumber, African
cucumber
Gujrati:Karela
Hindi:Karela
Kannada:Hagalakai
Malayalam:Kaippa, Pavackkai
Marathi:Karla
Oriya:Kalara, Salara
Punjabi:Karela
Tamil:Paharkai
Telugu:Kaakara Kaaya
Morphology of Karela leaf
Deeply and palmately 5-9 lobed;reniform to orbicular or suborbicular in
outline;2.5-8 x 4-10 cm, cordate at base, acute or acuminate at apex;lobes ovate
or obovate, narrowed at base, margins sinuate to undulate, mucronate;petioles
1.5-5 cm long.
Phytochemical constituents of Bitter gourd
Leaves
Alkaloid, Flavonoids, Sterols, Terpenoids, Anthraquinones, Proteins and Phenols,
glycosides including momordin, charantosides, glycosides, momordicosides,
goyaglycosides and other terpenoid compounds that include momordicin-28,
momordicinin, momordicilin, momordenol, and momordol.
How to grow Bitter gourd at home
It is very easy to grow bitter gourd plant. It is a warm-weather loving crop
(optimal temperatures in range of 2427 0C) and grows well in hot-humid
environment. Like any other gourd, this plant also requires long warm, dry
weather with 30-35 0C temperature. It requires well-drained, fertile soil and full
sun.
You may sow the seeds in spring. In colder season (below 18 0C), the seeds take
longer to germinate. Bitter gourd can be grown in any type of soil but it needs
sandy loam or rich loamy soil and optimum soil pH 6-6.7.
For planting, select the location that receives maximum sun. You can grow
bitter gourd in your kitchen garden or in containers in your balcony. Sacks or
grow bags can also be used. Fill the desired container with mix of soil and
organic manure and use for growing this vine.
You can buy seeds from local nursery or extract few from fully ripened yellow
bitter gourd fruits. Immature seeds are soft and are cream in colour. Mature
seeds are hard and brown in colour and are present inside red covering. Just
clean the seeds and sow directly or you can rst sprout the seeds. For
sprouting the seeds, take paper towel/tissue and put seeds on it and cover with
another paper towel. Spray water and put inside a plastic bag. The seeds will
start germinating in few days (approximately 10 days). Check daily and when
you see small sprout immediately put the seed horizontally in the soil at
half-inch depth. Do not overwater as that can rot the seed. The seedling will
appear in 2-3 days. Water regularly as per requirement. Provide the adequate
support for growing vine. Bitter gourd plant produces both male and female
flowers. Short days promotes female flowers and temperature above 40 0 C
causes more male flowers. Pollination is must for setting of fruits which is done
by bees. But you can also use hand pollination method. As far as manuring is
concerned, organic manure is best for home use. The plant gives its rst fruit
about 50-110 days from sowing. Of course, you can use the leaves as leafyvegetable or medicine throughout the growing season.
Medicinal Uses of Bitter gourd Leaves
Bitter gourd leaves are used to treat variety of diseases such as diabetes, piles,
respiratory ailments, cholera, viral diseases and skin eruptions. Below is listed
few such time-tested home remedies. These are simple, reliable and
inexpensive. Even modern studies also support these traditional treatments.
Diabetes
Take about six tablespoon of the chopped bitter gourd leaves and two glass of
water. Boil leaves in water for approximately 15 minutes. Do not cover the
vessel.
Allow it to cool and then strain. Drink 1/3 cup of it thrice a day.
This leaf decoction is found to be very effective in the management of diabetes
type 2. On regular intake, this keeps blood sugar in control.
Piles
Common home remedy is to extract three teaspoonful juice from clean bitter
melon leaves and mix this with a glassful of buttermilk. This should be taken
every morning for about a month on empty stomach. Topically leaves paste can
be applied over the haemorrhoids.
Cholera, diarrhoea
Intake of 10-15 ml juice of Karela leaves is useful in diarrhoea and early stage of
cholera.
Asthma, bronchitis, common colds, pharyngitis
Bitter melon leaves paste is mixed with equal amounts of the paste of
tulsi/Basil leaves.
This should be taken with honey each morning. This can also be taken as
preventive medicine for respiratory problems.
Arthritis
1. Drinking 10-15 ml juice of Karela leaves is benecial in arthritis.
2. Ascite (gastroenterological term for an accumulation of fluid in the
peritoneal cavity)
3. Extract 10-15 ml juice of leaves and add some honey and drink.
Hepatitis
In Hepatitis, the leaves juice of bitter gourd is useful. Extract 10-15 ml juice of
bitter gourd leaves and mix some big chebulic myroblan powder and drink.
Intestinal parasites, pox, measles, Pneumonia
Drinking 10-15 ml juice of Karela leaves is useful.
Boils, burns and other skin eruptions
The dried and powdered bitter gourd leaves can be applied topically on affected
areas.
Burning sensation in hands and feet
Bitter gourd juice is applied topically in burning sensation in hands and feet.
Nutrition
Bitter melon leaves are good source of vitamins and minerals such as iron,
calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B.
Side-effects/Warning
1. Bitter gourd or its leaves must not be used in pregnancy because it has
been reported to stimulate uterine smooth muscle contraction leading to
abortion.
2. All parts of Bitter gourd plant show abortifacient activity and used to
induce abortion in some countries.
3. Bitter gourd leaf juice decoction/tea affects the heart and increases the
rate and force of contraction after internal administration on dose
dependent manner. This effect is reversible.
4. Always take fresh juice and decoction in recommended doses that is 10
or 15 ml.
5. Bitter gourd leaves have emetic properties and excess intake can cause
vomiting, and loose motion.
6. Bitter gourd has anti-spermatogenic, abortifacient and fertility reducing
properties.
You will be amazed after knowing medicinal uses Guar Gum (/health
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