Bitter Melon, also known as Karela or karvellak. It is botanically known as Momordica Charantia. Karela is an ayurvedic herb that helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps body functions operating generally. It possesses a compound Gurmarin, a polypeptide measured to be comparable to bovine insulin that has been shown in investigational studies to attain a positive sugar adaptable effect by hold back the neural response to sweet taste stimulus. Karela's or karvellaks principle ingredient are lectins, charantin and momordicine. The fruits have long been used in India as a traditional medication for diabetes mellitus or sugar related cases. Lectins from the bitter gourd or karela have shown important antilipolytic and lipogenic behavior.
The fruits and leaves of karela contain two alkaloids, one of them being the most famous momordicine. The plant of karela has been reported to hold a glucoside, a saponin-like compound, a resin with an repulsive taste, an aromaticor good smelling volatile oil (VO) and a mucilage. The seed encloses an alkaloid that has a melting point of 236 degrees and an anthelmintic standard in the germ; they also hold urease. The fruits, leaves and extracts of Momordica charantia or karela have pharmacological actions and therapeutic uses. It is useful as an emetic, purgative, in bilious affections, blazing or burning palms and soles, as an anthelmentic, in hemorrhoids, leprosy or skin related diseases, jaundice, as a vermifuge, astringent in hemorrhoids, as a stomachic, anti-spasmodic herb, anti-oxytocic, hypoglycemic, antipyretic, mild hypotensive in nature.
Clinical Studies p-Insulin was tested in a controlled clinical trial. In juvenile diabetics, the climax hypoglycemic effect was noticed after 1 to 8 hours; in patients with adulthood onset diabetes, utmost fall in blood sugar level was noted after twelve hours. Karela or karvellak or Bitter Melon has also been accounted to show hypo-cholesteroemic activity.