Bitter gourd

Scientific name of Bitter gourd: Momordica charantia

Name of Bitter gourd in different languages:-

Sanskrit: Karavella, Kaarvellakah, Kathillah, Paraaru, Sushavi, Urdhvaasitah

Hindi: Karela

English: bitter melon, bitter squash and balsam pear

Malayalam: Pavakka- പാവയ്ക്ക, Kaippakka, Pavel

Tamil: Pakar

Plant description of Bitter gourd:

Bitter gourd is a herbaceous vine, climbing with tendril grows up to 5 m length. The leaves are simple, alternate up to 12 cm across, with 5-7 separated lobes. Flowers are yellow both male and female flowers. The fruits are spiny, oblong, tapered both end, and warty exterior, hollow in cross-section, green in color, it turns yellow when ripe. The seeds are flat, golden yellow and somewhat square shaped with a waved margin.

Useful plant parts:

The whole plants, Leaf, fruit and Seeds

Medicinal uses:

It is used in the treatment of vitiated conditions of Kapha and Pitta, and also used in skin diseases, leprosy, burning sensation, diabetes, inflammation, asthma, ulcers, wounds, lumbago, bone fractures, leprosy and jaundice.

Chemical contents:

Rich source of Vitamin D, steroid, alkaloid, triterpene, protein, inorganic, lipid, and
phenolic compounds.

Bitter gourd is used as an ingredient to prepare the Ayurvedic medicines like:

• Aragwadhadi Ghrita
• Maha Vishagarbha Tailam

For more details:

http://globalresearchonline.net/journalcontents/volume11issue1/Article-007.pdf