Diabetes mellitus is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 73,000 US residents annually. Nature has something to offer in treating diabetes, and this is the bitter gourd Momordica charantia.
Momordica charantia is a vine that belongs to Family Cucurbitaceae, and it is a relative of cucumber and squash. It is called bitter gourd or bitter melon in English speaking countries, kerala in India and Pakistan, and ampalaya in the Philippines, and it grows in damp and wet places. Upon reaching its reproductive stage, it produces a cucumber shaped fruit with wrinkled skin. It is known for its bitter taste, which makes some people uncomfortable eating it. Its taste, though, is overshadowed by the health benefits it offers.
It has been used as traditional medicine in India and China for thousands of years. People used it to treat various diseases, including diabetes mellitus. It is consumed as a salad, as an ingredient for other food recipes, or as a tea. It is a very popular herbal medicine to poor and diabetic people who cannot afford expensive drugs to treat their diseases, and they have found it to be very effective. In fact, wealthy people are now also taking bitter gourd supplements (in capsule form) because of its anti-diabetic effect.
Diabetes mellitus is caused by the failure of cells to absorb glucose., the main energy source of the cell. It must go inside the cell to be transformed into the energy rich chemical compound Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). The hormone insulin helps the cell to absorb glucose by initiating the necessary biochemical pathways in the cell membrane. When glucose molecules are not absorbed by the cells, glucose will concentrate in the blood – a condition called hyperglycemia. If there is not enough insulin produced by the Islet of Langerhans (specialized cells in the pancreas), Type 1 diabetes mellitus occurs. On the other hand, if the cells became resistant to insulin, Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs.
Hyperglycemia is the major symptom of diabetes, but it is not the direct cause of death in diabetic patients. Body tissues are destroyed when cells produce too many toxic by-products through the metabolism of fats as an energy source. These toxic by-products are not produced if glucose molecules are used instead of fats. Unfortunately, cells have no choice but to metabolize fats, in the absence of glucose inside the cell. Too much of these toxic compounds can shut down vital organs, leading to death.
The hypoglycemic effect (lowering blood glucose level) of Momordica charantia has been investigated by biochemists, medical researchers, and pharmaceutical companies for decades. These studies broaden our knowledge of the positive effects of bitter gourd in treating diabetes mellitus.