Karela

HABITAT

It grows throughout India, and is often cultivated, up to an altitude of 1,500 m. This climbing plant is cultivated in gardens everywhere in India for its fruit. It is the major weed in tropical pastures and vegetable crops. It also occurs as a ruderal in disturbed, uncultivated habitats such as roadsides, gardens, fence lines and around houses and farm buildings.

INTRODUCTION

Bitter Gourd is an internationally known plant that is eaten for many of its beneficiary health effects and has been being used for a long time throughout the world. It is known as the most bitter, edible vegetable and it was traditionally used for a dazzling array of conditions by people in tropical regions. It is nutrient dense plant-based food containing versatility of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, polypeptide, vitamins, and minerals. Owing to presence of bioactive compounds, it has the ability to fight against various lifestyle related disorders, e.g., cancer insurgence, diabetes mellitus, abdominal pain, kidney (stone), fever, and scabies.

BENEFITS

Manages Diabetes: Karela is a well-known herb for controlling high blood sugar level. Karela is a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycaemic agent. Karela prevents the damage and helps in the formation of new β cells in the pancreas. Karela lowers the blood glucose level by increasing insulin secretion and glucose utilization.

Ayurvedic View: Karela helps to control high sugar due to its Tikta (bitter), Deepan (appetizer) and Pachan (digestive) properties. It improves metabolism and maintains the insulin level. Thus, Karela helps to control your blood sugar levels.

Improves Digestion: Karela might be beneficial in the management of stomach and intestinal disorders. Momordicin in Karela improves digestion and helps to increase appetite. It also purifies blood because of its blood purifying properties and thus used for curing many blood related ailments like—boils, itching etc. Karela extract also inhibits the growth of H.pylori bacteria and prevents ulcer formation

Ayurvedic View: Karela helps increases the secretion of digestive acids which improve digestion and promote better absorption of food or nutrients. This is due to its Tikta (bitter), Deepan (appetizer) and Pachan (digestive) properties.

Combats Constipation: Constipation is mainly caused due to faulty eating habits and unhealthy dietary practices. Bitter melon not only relives from the indigestive condition but also helps in combating the constipation. It improves peristaltic movements of gastrointestinal tract and also improves the absorption in the intestines. It is high in fibre content thus prevents constipation and other stomach disorders by helping in the secretion of gastric juices.

MECHANISM OF ACTION

The hypoglycaemic (blood sugar lowering) action is due to the presence of a unique Phyto-constituent called charantin, insulin-like peptides, and alkaloids, all of which act together to improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels. These compounds activate a protein called AMPK, which regulates fuel metabolism and enables glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in the liver, muscles and fat cells, processes which are impaired in diabetics. Bitter melon has been found to increase the number of insulin-secreting beta cells in the pancreas.

CLINICAL STUDIES & REFERENCES

Shetty AK, Kumar GS, Sambaiah K and Salimath PV: "Effect of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) on glycaemic status in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats." Plant Foods Human Nutr 60: 2005; 109-12
Srivastava Y, Venkatakrishna-Bhatt H, Verma Y, et al. Antidiabetic and adaptogenic properties of Momordica charantia extract: an experimental and clinical evaluation. Phytother Res. 1993; 7:285-289.
Welhinda J,Karunanayake EH, Sheriff MH, et al. Effect of Momordica charantia on the glucose tolerance in maturity onset diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol. 1986; 17:277-282.
Ahmad N, Hassan MR, Halder H, et al. Effect of Momordica charantia (Karolla) extracts on fasting and postprandial serum glucose levels in NIDDM patients. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull. 1999; 25:11-13.
Jayasooriya AP, Sakono M, Yukizaki C, et al. Effects of Momordica charantia powder on serum glucose levels and various lipid parameters in rats fed with cholesterol-free and cholesterol-enriched diets. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000; 72:331-336.