Common Name: Bitter Gourd

Scientific Name: Momordica Charantia Linn

Introduction:

Momordica charantia, known as bitter melon, bitter gourd, bitter squash, or pear, has names in other languages which have entered English as loanwords, e.g. Goya from Okinawa and karela from Sanskrit. Those from the Caribbean island of Jamaica commonly refer to the plant as cerasee.

It is a tropical and Subtropical Vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruits. Its many varieties differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit.

Bitter melon originated in India and was introduced into China in the 14th century.

Scientific Classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Species:	M. charantia

Adverse effects:

Reported side effects include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, hypoglycemia, urinary, incontinence, and chest pain. Symptoms are generally mild, do not require treatment, and resolve with rest.

Pregnancy:

Bitter melon is contraindicated in pregnant women because it can induce bleeding, contractions, and miscarriage.

Uses:

§  Bitter melon is very low in calories, carrying just 17 calories per 100 g. Nevertheless, its pods are rich sources of phytonutrients like dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Bitter melon stimulates easy digestion and peristalsis of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body. Thus, it helps in relieving indigestion and constipation problems.

• In addition, it is a moderate source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium.
• Early laboratory tests suggest that certain phyto-chemical compounds in bitter melon might be effective in the treatment of HIV infection.*
• Fresh bitter melon is an excellent source of vitamin-C (100 g of raw pod provides 84 mg or about 140% of RDI). Vitamin-C is one of the powerful natural antioxidants which helps scavenge deleterious free radicals from the human body.

Conclusion:

At last I want to thank Mr. Amit sijapati sir for giving us such a wonderful project. Because of it I have learned many things about “Bitter gourd”. It is both useful and harmful for us. J

Submitted by:

Riya Maharjan

Class:8 B

Roll no:23