bitter melon

1. A tropical annual vine (Momordica charantia) native to Asia, having yellow flowers and orange, warty fruits that open at maturity to expose red-coated seeds. Various parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine or for food.

2. The immature green fruit of this plant, eaten as a vegetable. In both senses also called bitter gourd.

bitter melon

The fruit of a Chinese vine related to cucumbers, administered in tea, capsules or retention enemas, which allegedly “purifies” blood, prevents viral infections and has antiretroviral activity. It has been used for managing diabetes, gastrointestinal complaints and cancer.

bit·ter mel·on

(bit'ĕr mel'ŏn)

Momordica charantia, tropical fruit that is typically consumed as a juice, although sometimes eaten. Limited studies suggest use in Type 2 diabetes; also purportedly of value as an antiinfective.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

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References in periodicals archive

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is one of the most nutritional and medicinal plants belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family.

Endogenous hormone concentrations in explants and calluses of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.)/Concentraciones de hormonas endogenas en explantes y callos de melon amargo (Momordica charantia L.)/Concentracoes de hormonas endogenas em explantes e calos de Malao-de-Sao-Caetano (Momordica charantia L.)

(Caricaceae), Catharanthus roseus, Cucurbita sp., Ipomoea batatas, Ipomoea tiliacea (Willd.) Choisy (Convolvulaceae), Malachra alceifolia, Momordica charantia, Musa sp., Pentalinon luteum (L.) Hansen & Wunderlin (Apocynaceae), Ruellia nudiflora Urb.

Butterflies of the agricultural experiment station of tropical roots and tubers, and Santa Ana, Camaguey, Cuba: an annotated list

Chinese melon (Momordica charantia L.) yield as influenced by four trellis systems and five different mulching treatments was evaluated.

AGRICULTURE AND PLANT SCIENCE

(2011) tambem comprovaram a eficiencia dos extratos aquosos de Momordica charantia que inibiram 100% da germinacao e 71% (meio solido) e 86% (meio liquido) do crescimento micelial de Colletotrichum musae.

Identificacao da fracao antimicrobiana do extrato da Mimosa tenuiflora

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is one of the commonly consumed vegetables among Malaysians.

Customized Cooking Methods Enhance Antioxidant, Antiglycemic, and Insulin-Like Properties of Momordica charantia and Moringa oleifera

Park et al., "Preventive effects of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) against insulin resistance and diabetes are associated with the inhibition of NF-kappaB and JNK pathways in high-fat-fed OLETF rats," The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, vol.

Adipose Tissue-Specialized Immunologic Features Might Be the Potential Therapeutic Target of Prospective Medicines for Obesity

Momordica charantia L.###Bitter gourd###0###3.696###0###0###31.2###9.4###56###42###0###4.4

QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF BIOACCUMULATING TOXIC AND ESSENTIAL METALS IN VEGETABLES PROCURED FROM LOCAL MARKETS OF PAKISTAN AND THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT

Dubey, Purification, Characterization and Immobilization of Urease from Momordica charantia seeds, Process Biochem., 46, 1486 (2011).

Determination of Some Properties of Free and Immobilized Urease from Aspergillus fumigatus and Its Application in Urea Assay

Limited access to modern drugs has driven the rural Nigerian to rely on medicinal plants including the uses of Terminalia catappa, Acalypha wilkesiana and Momordica charantia.

Antibacterial activities of aqueous extracts of Terminalia catappa, Momordica charantia and Acalypha wilkesiana on Escherichia coli isolated from pediatrics