Karela, or bitter melon, is a tropical plant cultivated for its fruit. It contains active constituents like saponins, alkaloids, and glycosides such as momordin, charantin, and charantosides. Karela has traditionally been used as an antidiabetic, cardio-protective, anthelmintic, stimulant, laxative, and tonic. While generally low in toxicity, it can interact with insulin and anti-diabetic drugs. Karela should be avoided by pregnant women and those with gastric ulcers or heartburn.

1. Karela
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2. Content
 General information
 Cultivation
 Active constituents
 Indications
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3. Content (cont.)
 Toxicity
 Drug interactions
 warnings
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4. General info.
 Botanical name : Monordica charantia
 English name : Bitter cucmber ,
Bitter melon , Blasma pear
 Indian name : Karela
 Family : Cucurbitaceae
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5. General info.
(cont.)
Grows in tropical areas:
◦ Asia
◦ East Africa
◦ Amazon
◦ India
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6. Cultivation
Cultivated during worm
season i.e during April to
July
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7. Active constituents
Saponins
Alkaloids
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8. Active constituents
(cont.)
Glycosides:
◦ Momordin
◦ Charantin
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9. Active constituents
(cont.)
Glycosides:
◦ Charantosides
◦ Goya glycosides
◦ Momordicosides
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10. Indications
 Used as a remedy for:
◦ Diabetes
◦ Cardio protection
◦ Fruit pulp is Anthelmintic
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11. Indications (cont.)
 Fruit is considered as:
◦ Tonic
◦ Stimulant
◦ Laxative
The fruit juice is employed for
diabetes , malaria , worms and
parasites
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12. Toxicity
 Many in vivo studies have
demonstrated the relatively low
toxicity of all parts of the bitter
melon plant when ingested orally
 The seed contains vicine and
therefore can trigger symptoms of
favism in susceptible individuals.
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13. Drug Interactions
 May potentiate insulin and anti-
diabetic drugs.
 May potentiate cholesterol-lowering
drugs.
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14. S.E. & Warnings
 Contraindicated with Pregnant
women as it stimulates the uterus
and may cause premature birth
 It can sometimes make heart burn
and ulcers worse
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15. Conclusion
 Bitter melon contains:
 Saponins
 Alkaloids
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16. Conclusion (cont.)
 Bitter melon contains:
 Glycosides:
◦ Charantosides
◦ Goya glycosides
◦ Momordicosides 16

17. Conclusion (cont.)
 Bitter melon used as:
 Antimalarial
 Antidiabetic
 Laxative
 Stimulant
 Tonic 17

18. Conclusion (cont.)
 Bitter melon is
contraindicated in:
◦ Pregnancy
◦ Gastric ulcers & heart burns
◦ G-6P deficiency
(due to vicine in seed)
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19. Conclusion (cont.)
 Bitter melon has low toxicity
profile when ingested orally
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20. Conclusion (cont.)
 Bitter melon may potentiate the
action of insulin and other anti -
diabetics
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