Читать книгу Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Supplement Use in People with Diabetes: A Clinician's Guide - Laura Shane-McWhorter - Страница 29

Bitter melon is a plant product also known as bitter gourd, bitter cucumber, and karela. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and is related to honeydew and Persian melon, cantaloupe, muskmelon, and casaba. Although used for diabetes, bitter melon is cultivated in various parts of the world, including India, Asia, Africa, and South America, for consumption as a vegetable. Bitter melon grows as a vine with green leaves and yellow flowers. The fruit is green with a bumpy exterior, resembling a cucumber, and the interior is yellow-orange. The fruit and seeds are thought to be useful for diabetes.^75,85

Bitter melon has also been used for psoriasis, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney stones, and fever, and as a topical agent for wounds and abscesses. Women have used bitter melon to help induce menstruation and as an abortifacient. Recently it has also been used to treat cancer and HIV.^75,85,86