Bittermelon is also known as Karela in Indian literature. Karela is quiet popular diabetes supplement in Asia for its role in diabetes. Bittermelon capsules are not only helpful in controlling sugar levels but also supplement essential chromium and other microminerals needed to restore the imbalance created due to uncontrolled sugar and prevent complications of diabetes. Therefore it rates among best supplements for diabetes.
There are a lot of herbal supplements flooding the market and claiming to be best alternative treatment for diabetes but Bittermelon capsules are nature’s best remedy which not only brings the level under control ut also prevents complications.
Ayurveda has recommended Bittermelon as best alternative treatment for sugar control. Bittermelon is also very popular in Chinese medicine and getting much popular in the west as well. The leaves and the fruit are used to make teas and soups in many traditions. Bitter melon is best studied to support the treatment of diabetes in a natural way. Bitter melon is very bitter as the name suggests. So the best option is to use Bitter melon capsules. Bittermelon capsules contain 500 mg of standardized extract of Bittermelon giving all the potential benefits of the bittermelon fruit.
Bittermelon is also very rich in natural vitamin A and C. Bittermelon is also called Balsam Pear in some countries. Bittermelon has twice the potassium of Bananas. It is one of the richest source of potassium.
- Botanical Name – Momordica charantia
- Family – Cucurbitaceae (Gourd family)
- Common Name – Bitter gourd, Bitter apple, wild cucumber, bitter cucumber, Balsam apple, Balsam pear, margose, La-kwa, Leprosy gourd, karela
- Synonyms – Ampalaya, Pomme de merveille, pomo balsam, balsamini longi, mupo dang, tsuru reishi, bittergourd, bittermelon, balsam pear, sopropo, arsorossie ka gua foo, pare, peria, karela, balasamina, balsampfel, mara.
Bitter Melon Capsules
Bittermelon Capsules are made from Pure Organic Herbs and Standardized Herbal Extracts without using any Chemicals, Preservatives, Fillers, Starch or Additives.
Ingredients Packaging & Quantity
60 Vegetarian Capsules in Food Grade HDP Bottle, Containing 100 % Pure Standardized 500 mg Extract of fruits of karela
Other Ingredients
Silica gel (Dessicant To absorb moisture), No artificial colors, preservatives, yeast, starch or Chemicals
Dosage & How to Take?
1-2 capsules twice daily – About ½ hr. to 1 Hour after meals with plain or lukewarm water
To buy Bittermelon (Karela) Capsules, please visit store.planetayurveda.com/products/karela-capsules.
Phytochemicals and Constituents of Momordica charantia
- Glycosides: momordin, charantin
- Alkaloids: momordicin
- Others: polypeptide-P
- Oils (seed only): stearic, linoleic, oleic acids
- Glycoproteins: alpha-momorcharin, beta-momorcharin, lectins
- Others: Vicine (pyrimidine nucleoside), protein MAP30
At least three different groups of constituents in bitter melon have been reported to have blood-sugar lowering actions of potential benefit in diabetes mellitus. These include a mixture of steroidal saponins known as charantin, insulin-like peptides, and alkaloids. It is still unclear which of these is most effective, or if all three work together. Some clinical trials have confirmed the benefit of bitter melon for people with diabetes.
In traditional herbal medicine, bitter melon,like other bitter-tasting herbs,is thought to stimulate digestive function and improve appetite. This has yet to be tested in human studies.
Momordica charantia is a potential herbal alternative for blood sugar management, particularly in non-insulin dependent diabetes. An extract standardized for all the active principles would have proven efficacy in this regard. The standardized extract of Momordica charantia, contains bitter principles and charantin.
Bitter melon is a vegetable, eaten in certain countries such as India and Asia. It is thought to have direct hypoglycemic activity, but this may depend on having viable beta cell function in the pancreas. There may be some other activity such as increased tissue glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, and decreased blood glucose production.
If combined with secretagogues, additive hypoglycemia may occur. Research has been conducted in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Bitter Melon was traditionally used for a dazzling array of conditions by people in tropical regions. Numerous infections, cancer, leukemia, and diabetes are among the most common conditions it was believed to improve.
Bitter Melon is reported to help in the treatment of diabetes and psoriasis. It has also been thought that Bitter Melon may help in the treatment of HIV, but the evidence thus far is too weak to even consider.
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) contains several components with confirmed anti-diabetic properties.
Charantin is a hypoglycemic agent composed of mixed steroids that has insulin-like properties similar to oral hypoglycemic drugs. Oral administration of bitter melon extracts have shown good results in clinical trials with Type II diabetes patients.
However, preliminary studies do appear to confirm that Bitter Melon may improve blood sugar control in people with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes, you might consider adding Bitter Melon to your diet, but only under a doctor’s supervision. The blood lowering action of the fresh juice of the unripe Bitter Melon has been confirmed in scientific studies in animals and humans.
At least three different groups of constituents in Bitter Melon have been reported to have hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) or other actions of potential benefit in diabetes mellitus. These include a mixture of steroidal saponins known as charantin, insulin-like peptides, and alkaloids.
It is still unclear which of these is most effective or if all three work together. Nonetheless, Bitter Melon preparations have been shown to significantly improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels, and to improve fasting blood glucose levels. Blood and urine sugar levels and post-prandial (after eating) blood glucose levels also fell. An as yet unidentified constituent in Bitter Melon also seems to inhibit the enzyme guanylate cyclase, which may benefit people with psoriasis.
Benefits of Bitter Melon capsules (Karela capsules) and Juice (Karela Saar)
- Natural anti-diabetic action
- Immunity enhancer
- Antitumor activity (constituents lutein and lycopene)
- Antiviral
- Aphrodisiac
- Increases tissue uptake of glucose (due to charantin) – Better sugar control
- Immunosuppressive (modulating activity of T and B lymphocytes and suppressing macrophage activity)
- Inhibits corticotropin – induced lipolysis
- Insulinomimetic
- Hypotensive
- Laxative
- Lowers blood glucose
- Stimulates lipogenesis
- Stomachic
- Vermifuge
Bitter Melon Juice (Karela Saar)
How much is Usually Taken?
Karela Saar contains juice of bitter melon and Amla (Indian gooseberry- the richest source of natural vitamin C on earth) – 30 ml twice daily, empty stomach is good dosage. You can mix with plain water (30 ml) or some apple juice (20) to mask the taste. The bitter melon capsules can also be taken along with to potentiate the action, or bitter melon capsules can be consumed alone if bitterness in taste is the problem.
Karela Saar is made from Pure Organic Herbs and Standardized Herbal Extracts without using any Chemicals, Preservatives, Fillers, Starch or Additives.
Ingredients Packaging & Quantity
250 ml juice in Food Grade Pet Bottle, Containing 100 % Pure Juice of Bittermelon+ Amla (Indian gooseberry).
Dosage & How to Take?
30 ml twice daily, empty stomach is good dosage. You can mix with plain water (30 ml) or some apple juice (20) to mask the taste.
To buy Karela Saar, please visit store.planetayurveda.com/products/karela-saar.
Are there Any Side Effects or Interactions?
Ingestion of excessive amounts of bitter melon juice (several times more than the amount recommended above) can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Hypoglycemics: Bitter melon may have additive effect when used concomitantly.
More Properties of Karela
Momordica charantia is a potential herbal alternative for blood sugar management, particularly in non-insulin dependent diabetes.Momordica charantia (bitter melon) is a proven hypoglycemic agent. One of the active principles responsible for this action is charantin, which is composed of a mixture of beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside and 5,25 stigmadien-3-beta-ol glycoside.
