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Momordica Charantia -
Gourd family, widely used in traditional
medicine in the Orient and Caribbean. The immature fruits are eaten by the
Orientals as a vegetable, and in the Philippines, the young leaves are used as
seasoning. The plant is also known to certain elderly African-Americans of the
southeastern US. The plant should be shared freely along with this information.
Description: Vines with square sided stems,
slender, weak, creeping or climbing stems, musky odor. Leaves alternate,
palmate, dull-green, flabby, with 5 to 7 toothed leaflets. Fruit 1 to 8 inches
long or more, bright orange when ripe, oval, pointed, fleshy, splits into 3
parts which curl back, revealing glistening, bright-red, moist sticky arils
(seed coating) enclosing irregularly shaped elliptic brown seeds.
Common names and their associated cultures
are: Bitterweed, Southeastern US; Serasee, Caribbean islands; Bitter melon,
Oriental immigrants to the US; Carillon, Latin America; Mexican, Cajun "traeteur"
of Louisiana, USA; Kho Qua, Vietnam; K'u Kua, China; also, Balsam Pear, Boston
Pear, Boston Apple, Bitter Gourd, Bitter Cucumber, Concombre Amer, and
Bitterleaf.
Raw fruits and seeds contain more of the
active principle than leaves, so caution should be taken when dealing with
these. Leaves may be eaten raw in small quantities. A pregnant woman should not
use Momordica, as it is an ingredient in some abortifacent mixtures. Although
the plant is slightly toxic in the raw state, and less so when prepared, it is
safe to use externally, and may be prepared in many ways for either use.
Any new information of interest should be
forwarded to the author at the address below. The author is particularly
interested in chemical analyses, recipes, anecdotes of treatments, experimental
results, and references to this plant in published works. Although this plant is
well known to certain non- western cultures, it is virtually unknown in the US
and Europe.
Uses of Momordica
The leaves and fruits may be picked from the
plant as needed, and used in many ways, dried or fresh, internally and
externally. The leaves and fruits taken from the plant at the end of the season
may be preserved by drying, tincture, canning, or other ways, for use when the
fresh plant is not available. For external use, the leaves may be crushed and
the juice applied to the skin. This has been used for insect bites, bee stings,
burns, contact rashes, and small wounds. The ripe berries may also be preserved
in spirits such as whiskey or vodka, and this applied to the skin. The leaves
may be boiled to make a decoction. Enough leaves should be used to give the
decoction a strong bitter taste and impart color.
This decoction is drunk as preventative or
treatment for many problems, such as stomachache, fever, infectious diseases,
arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, even cancer. The decoction may also be used
as a skin wash, or added to the bathwater. To make the taste of the decoction
more tolerable, the leaves may be boiled with mint, or the decoction may be
tempered with sugar, honey, or milk. The green fruits and leaves are used by
Oriental peoples as a vegetable. Care must be taken in their preparation, since
the fruit is slightly toxic when raw, less so when cooked.
The leaves may be finely chopped and added
to cooked meat and vegetable dishes during the last few minutes of cooking. They
impart a mild curry-like taste, bitter but not unpleasantly so. This suggests an
easy way to introduce this plant to a person who will not drink the decoction.
Green berries may be sliced thin, dried, and stored for use when the fresh plant
is not available. These dried berry slices may be reconstituted in water and
used in the same way as the fresh plant; or they may be boiled for a decoction
or eaten as a vegetable. Although the raw leaves are said to be slightly toxic,
small quantities can be dipped in honey, chewed slightly, and swallowed by some
individuals. They can also be finely chopped and mixed with other raw greens for
salad. If a single leaf, eaten in this manner, causes no discomfort, this is
another way of gaining the medicinal benefits of momordica. The arils have a
sweet taste with only slight bitter undertones. They should not be sucked
directly from the seeds, however, since mouth enzymes may damage the seeds and
make them unsuitable for planting. Instead, rub or wash arils from the seeds,
and eat the arils. If any other uses of this plant is known, please forward them
to this address: J. Dee Pinckney, UNO Box 727, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148.
Anecdotal Uses of Momordica
Fresh leaves, crushed and applied to insect
bites, relieve itching and lessens or sometimes prevents formation of welts or
sores. The same effect can be had from fresh berries, reconstituted dried
berries, or berries preserved in tincture. The decoction relieves skin rashes
and heat rash. The crushed leaves have been used to relieve the pain of wasp
stings, and no welts formed. A decoction of the leaves may be taken at the onset
of infectious diseases, and the course of the disease will be mitigated. It may
be taken during cold and flu epidemics as a prophylactic. It has been used to
wash arthritic limbs, feverish children, and infected skin wounds; the effect
has been strikingly beneficial. The decoction, taken regularly, has been used to
regulate blood sugar and control diabetes.
A poultice of honey and crushed leaves was
applied to second-degree gasoline burns. The person also ate raw leaves, in
small quantities, dipped in honey and chewed slightly. The burns healed quickly,
were totally free of infection, and no scaring was found after healing.
TRY THIS RECIPE
"Bitter Melon Soup", a traditional
Vietnamese recipe
Preparation: Blanche several green melons in
boiling water, cut lengthwise, and remove seeds. Stuff with a "pate" of meat if
used, or soy protein, onions, and seasoning. Tie the melons together with rubber
bands, and return them to boiling water. Cook for about an hour and salt to
taste. My informant remarked "it is very good for the liver," and added that the
melon may also be sautéed like summer squash, but "the soup is better for the
liver."
Planting and Horticulture Instructions for -Momordica
Charantia-
Soak seeds in water for several days while
moon is waxing or new. Prepare containers of good potting soil, well watered &
drained. Plant seeds about 1 inch (3 cm) deep & 2 inches (6 cm) apart. Cover
containers with cellophane & set in a warm, dark place.
When seeds sprout, remove cellophane & set
near a sunny window; keep soil moist. When seedlings have produced 2 sets of
true leaves, they should be transplanted to the ground, or if this is not
possible, transplant to a large container of good soil (at most 2 or 3 plants to
5 gallons soil).
Transplant outdoors after season has become
warm. Prepare a location with partial sun & good soil, well-watered &
well-drained. Provide support for vines, with no other type of vine sharing this
support (otherwise harvest will be difficult). The plant, a tropical annual in
the gourd family, may need assistance to produce seeds if climate is
insufficiently warm or moist. After several months, the plant will begin to
produce male & female yellow flowers about 2-3 cm in diameter. Male flowers,
more numerous, have a yellow center & conical base, while female flowers have a
green center & small bump at the base. When a female flower appears, cross
pollinate by gently touching several male flower centers with a soft implement (eg,
feather, bit of soft paper, small pointed paintbrush, or fingertip if one has a
light touch) & transferring pollen grains to center of female flower. If females
flowers are numerous & bees are present, this procedure is not needed.
Few pests plague this plant, since leaves
are very bitter. If pests appear, control by sprinkling plant with a mixture of
cayenne pepper, garlic powder, & water, or with a light solution of soapy water.
Throughout the growing season, leaves may be
taken from the plant to preserve by drying for use when fresh plant is not
available. Take older leaves in mid- morning after dew has dried & no rain has
fallen for several days. When fruits develop, they will be soft, light green
gourds with a bumpy or irregular surface. Allow to mature until they become
orange, when they will split open to reveal a number of seeds. These seeds are
covered in a sticky, bright red aril. Since the arils attract ants & birds, pick
mature fruit when it begins to split. Scoop out seeds, wash thoroughly to remove
arils, & set seeds out to dry. When dry, seeds may be wrapped loosely in clean
brown paper & stored to plant next season. At the same time preserve the mature
fruits. As an alternate way to remove arils, spread the seeds on a large, clean
piece of cloth and allow to dry for a few days. Then, the arils may be easily
rubbed from the seeds.
in temperate climates, the plant begins to
lose vigor after about six to nine months. It will produce a large number of
female flowers, & at the same time begin to weaken noticeably. At this time it
should be harvested. Fruits which are nearly mature should be allowed to ripen,
but may be picked so that seeds can be obtained. The immature fruits are removed
& preserved by drying, canning, or other ways.
Near the end of the season the vines may be
removed from their support & spread out to dry. While doing this, remove &
discard any leaves which are defective. To preserve immature fruits, slice
thinly & dry by spreading on a screen or blanket or stringing loosely. They
should be set in partial sun & protected from moisture & insects. To preserve
mature fruits, wash & cut into small pieces, & place in a container of spirits
such as vodka or whiskey. This may be strained for a tincture, or used as is.
Immature fruits may also be cooked & eaten fresh, canned, or preserved in other
standard ways. The seeds may be planted & the cycle begin again when weather is
warm, or at any time for indoor cultivation.
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