botanical record · discovered
Bitter Melon
Momordica charantia
Bitter Melon · Sorosi · Ampalaya · Atmagoson Hålom Tåno' · Balsam Pear · Balsam-pear · Balsambirne · Balsamina · Balsampear · Balzsamkörte · Batata di Djuku · Batata di Zumbi · Bitter Cucumber · Bitter Gourd · Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter balsam apple, Balsam apple, Wild balsam-apple, Bitter apple, Bitter squash, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd, Carilla gourd, Carilla bush, Balsam Pear, Jumbee pumpkin, Maiden apple · Bitter squash · Bittergurke · Bittermelone
At a glance
Origin / distribution: Malaya, West Indies, Ghana, Yucatan, India, Cuba, Nigeria, US
Cultural traditions: not documented
Recorded uses: Abdomen, Abortifacient, Ache(Ear), Antibiotic
Science studied: ALKALOIDS, ASCORBIGEN, ASH, CALCIUM
Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗
Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.
Names and identity
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Scientific name: Momordica charantia
Common names: Bitter Melon, Sorosi, Ampalaya, Atmagoson Hålom Tåno', Balsam Pear, Balsam-pear, Balsambirne, Balsamina, Balsampear, Balzsamkörte, Batata di Djuku, Batata di Zumbi, Bitter Cucumber, Bitter Gourd, Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter balsam apple, Balsam apple, Wild balsam-apple, Bitter apple, Bitter squash, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd, Carilla gourd, Carilla bush, Balsam Pear, Jumbee pumpkin, Maiden apple, Bitter squash, Bittergurke, Bittermelone
POWO: 293413-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone
History
The source record documents this plant in Malaya, Elsewhere, West Indies, Ghana, Yucatan, India, Cuba, Nigeria and 22 additional places.
It records these historical or traditional applications:
- Abdomen
- Abortifacient
- Ache(Ear)
- Antibiotic
- Aphrodisiac
- Asthma
- Astringent
- Bilious
show 80 more documented entries
- Bite(Snake)
- Bladder
- Burn
- Cancer
- Cancer(Breast)
- Canicide
- Catarrh
- Cold
- Colic
- Cough
- Dermatosis
- Diabetes Mellitis
- Diabetes
- Dysentery
- Dysmenorrhea
- Dyspepsia
- Eczema
- Emetic
- Emmenagogue
- Eruption
- Eye(Veterinary)
- Fever
- Gout
- Halitosis
- Ache(Head)
- Hepatitis
- Hyperglycemia
- Hypertension
- Itch
- Jaundice
- Kidney
- Laxative
- Leprosy
- Liver
- Malaria
- Malignancy
- Medicinel
- Melancholy
- Night-Blindness
- Parturition
- Piles
- Poison
- Purgative
- Refrigerant
- Renitis
- Rheumatism
- Roundworms
- Scald
- Skin
- Soap
- Sore
- Spleen
- Splenitis
- Sprue
- Ache(Stomach)
- Stone
- Styptic
- Swelling
- Tonic
- Urethritis
- Vermifuge
- Wound
- Yaws
- Colitis
- Digestive
- Gonorrhea
- Stomachic
- Thrush
- Tumor
- Apertif
- Boil
- Carminative
- Chilblain
- Diarrhea
- Fatality
- Insecticide
- Lactogogue
- Psoriasis
- Scabies
- Depurative
This summary is limited to the cited source record.
Origins and distribution
- Malaya
- Elsewhere
- West Indies
- Ghana
- Yucatan
- India
- Cuba
- Nigeria
- US
- "
- Haiti
- Puerto Rico
show 18 more documented entries
- Trinidad
- Portorico
- Kurdistan
- Panama
- Panama(Choco)
- China
- Africa
- Iraq
- Venezuela
- Turkey
- Java
- Latin America
- Mexico
- Zaire
- Brazil
- Samoa
- Guam
- Honduras
Documented cultural uses
- Abdomen
- Abortifacient
- Ache(Ear)
- Antibiotic
- Aphrodisiac
- Asthma
- Astringent
- Bilious
- Bite(Snake)
- Bladder
- Burn
- Cancer
show 76 more documented entries
- Cancer(Breast)
- Canicide
- Catarrh
- Cold
- Colic
- Cough
- Dermatosis
- Diabetes Mellitis
- Diabetes
- Dysentery
- Dysmenorrhea
- Dyspepsia
- Eczema
- Emetic
- Emmenagogue
- Eruption
- Eye(Veterinary)
- Fever
- Gout
- Halitosis
- Ache(Head)
- Hepatitis
- Hyperglycemia
- Hypertension
- Itch
- Jaundice
- Kidney
- Laxative
- Leprosy
- Liver
- Malaria
- Malignancy
- Medicinel
- Melancholy
- Night-Blindness
- Parturition
- Piles
- Poison
- Purgative
- Refrigerant
- Renitis
- Rheumatism
- Roundworms
- Scald
- Skin
- Soap
- Sore
- Spleen
- Splenitis
- Sprue
- Ache(Stomach)
- Stone
- Styptic
- Swelling
- Tonic
- Urethritis
- Vermifuge
- Wound
- Yaws
- Colitis
- Digestive
- Gonorrhea
- Stomachic
- Thrush
- Tumor
- Apertif
- Boil
- Carminative
- Chilblain
- Diarrhea
- Fatality
- Insecticide
- Lactogogue
- Psoriasis
- Scabies
- Depurative
Cultural record detail
These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.
- Abdomen · Malaya · "
- Abdomen · Elsewhere · "
- Abortifacient · Elsewhere · "
- Abortifacient · West Indies · "
- Ache(Ear) · Elsewhere · "
- Antibiotic · Elsewhere · "
- Aphrodisiac · Ghana · "
- Aphrodisiac · Yucatan · "
- Asthma · Malaya · "
- Asthma · Elsewhere · "
- Astringent · Elsewhere · "
- Bilious · Elsewhere · "
- Bite(Snake) · India · "
- Bladder · Cuba · "
- Burn · Malaya · "
- Burn · Elsewhere · "
- Cancer · Nigeria · "
- Cancer(Breast) · Nigeria · "
- Canicide · US · "
- Catarrh · Elsewhere · "
- Cold · US · "
- Colic · Elsewhere · "
- Colic · " · "
- Cough · Elsewhere · "
112 additional documented entries remain in the source record.
Contemporary uses
Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.
Scientific research
Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.
Indexed research records
- Correction: Characterization of McCIPK6, a mitochondrial protein, positively regulating cold stress tolerance in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) · 2026 source ↗
- Polysaccharide from Momordica Charantia Induces Immunostimulatory Responses and Reveals Mechanisms in Macrophages. · 2026 source ↗
- Thermoanalytical and chemical study of the spray-dried extract of Momordica charantia Linn. collected in the Brazilian Amazon · 2026 source ↗
Scientific compounds
Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.
- ALKALOIDS
- ASCORBIGEN
- ASH
- CALCIUM
- CARBOHYDRATES
- BETA-CAROTENE
- CHARANTIN
- CHOLESTEROL
- COPPER
- ALPHA-ELAEOSTEARIC-ACID
- FAT
- FIBER
- FLUORIDE
- FLUORINE
- GALACTURONIC-ACID
- IRON
show 169 more documented entries
- KILOCALORIES
- LANOSTEROL
- LEAD
- LINOLEIC-ACID
- LYCOPENE
- MAGNESIUM
- MOMORDICIN
- MOMORDICOSIDE-A
- MOMORDICOSIDE-C
- MOMORDICOSIDE-E
- MOMORDICOSIDE-F-2
- MOMORDICOSIDE-G
- MOMORDICOSIDE-L
- MUTACHROME
- NIACIN
- NICKEL
- NITROGEN
- OXALATE
- OXALIC-ACID
- PEROXIDASE
- PHOSPHORUS
- PHYTOFLUENE
- PIPECOLIC-ACID
- POLYPEPTIDE-P
- PROTEIN
- RIBOFLAVIN
- RUBIXANTHIN
- BETA-SITOSTEROL
- SODIUM
- STEARIC-ACID
- STIGMASTA-5,25-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
- 5-ALPHA-STIGMASTA-7,25-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
- 5-ALPHA-STIGMASTA-7,22,25-TRIEN-3-BETA-OL
- THIAMIN
- TITANIUM
- WATER
- ZEAXANTHIN
- ZEINOXANTHIN
- ASCORBIC-ACID
- PECTIN
- CITRULLINE
- DIOSGENIN
- ELASTEROL
- FLAVOCHROME
- GABA
- MANGANESE
- MOMORDICOSIDE-B
- MOMORDICOSIDE-F-1
- OLEIC-ACID
- POTASSIUM
- BETA-SITOSTEROL-D-GLUCOSIDE
- STIGMASTEROL
- SUGARS
- UREASE
- IODINE
- ALANINE
- ALPHA-ELEOSTEARIC-ACID
- ALPHA-GLUCOSE
- ALPHA-MOMORCHARIN
- ARGININE
- ASPARAGINE
- ASPARTIC-ACID
- BETA-ALANINE
- BETA-AMYRIN
- BETA-GLUCOSE
- BETA-MOMORCHARIN
- BITTER-GOURD-INHIBITOR-BG-I-A
- CALCEOLARIOSIDE-E
- CAPRIC-ACID
- CHARINE
- CRYPTOXANTHIN
- CUCURBITACIN-B
- CUCURBITACIN-K
- CYCLOARTENOL
- D-GALACTURONIC-ACID
- DELTA-CAROTENE
- ETHYLENE
- GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC-ACID
- GAMMA-CAROTENE
- GENTISIC-ACID
- GLUTAMIC-ACID
- GLYCINE
- HEXADECAN-1-OL
- HISTIDINE
- INULIN
- ISOLEUCINE
- LAURIC-ACID
- LECTIN
- LECTIN-INHIBITOR
- LEUCINE
- LINOLENIC-ACID
- LUTEIN
- LYSINE
- MAP-30
- MOMORCHARASIDE-A
- MOMORCHARASIDE-B
- MOMORCHARIN-I
- MOMORCHARIN-II
- MOMORDICA-AGGLUTININ
- MOMORDICA-ANTI-HIV-PROTEIN-MAP-30
- MOMORDICA-CHARANTHIA-INHIBITOR-PROTEIN
- MOMORDICA-CHARANTIA-CYTOSTATIC-FACTOR
- MOMORDICA-CHARANTIA-LECTIN
- MOMORDICA-CHARANTIA-STEROID-GLYCOSIDE
- MOMORDICA-CHARANTIA-TRITERPENE-GLYCOSIDE
- MOMORDICA-CUCURBITANE-3
- MOMORDICA-CUCURBITANE-6
- MOMORDICA-ELASTASE-INHIBITOR-MCEI-I
- MOMORDICA-PROTEIN-MAP-30
- MOMORDICA-TRYPSIN-INHIBITOR-MCTI-I
- MOMORDICA-TRYPSIN-INHIBITOR-MCTI-II
- MOMORDICIN-8
- MOMORDICIN-II
- MOMORDICINE
- MOMORDICINE-I
- MOMORDICINE-II
- MOMORDICINE-III
- MOMORDICOSIDE-D
- MOMORDICOSIDE-E-1
- MOMORDICOSIDE-EX
- MOMORDICOSIDE-F'
- MOMORDICOSIDE-H
- MOMORDICOSIDE-I
- MOMORDICOSIDE-J
- MOMORDICOSIDE-K
- MOMORDIN
- MOMORDIN-2
- MOMORDIN-A
- MOMORDIN-B
- MULTIFLORENOL
- MUTATOCHROME
- MYCOSE
- MYRISTIC-ACID
- NEROLIDOL
- ORNITHINE
- P-CYMENE
- P-INSULIN
- PALMITIC-ACID
- PALMITOLEIC-ACID
- PENTADECAN-1-OL
- PETROSELINIC-ACID
- PHENYLALANINE
- PROLINE
- RIBOSOME-INACTIVATING-PROTEIN
- ROSMARINIC-ACID
- SERINE
- 10-ALPHA-CUCURBITA-5-24-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
- 24-METHYLENE-CYCLOARTENOL
- 3-O-(6'-O-PALMITOYL-BETA-D-GLUCOSYL)-STIGMASTA-5-25(27)-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
- 3-O-(6'-O-STEAROYL-BETA-D-GLUCOSYL)-STIGMASTA-5-25(27)-DIEN-3-BETA-OL
- 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE
- ALPHA-SPINASTEROL
- SQUALENE
- STIGMASTA-5-25-DIENE-3-BETA-D-GLUCOSIDE
- STIGMAST-5-ENE-3-BETA-25-DIOL
- TARAXEROL
- THREONINE
- TREHALOSE
- STIGMASTA-7-22-25-TRIEN-3-BETA-OL
- STIGMASTA-7,22-DIEN-3BETA-OL
- ALPHA-ALPHA-TREHALOSE
- TRYPSIN-INHIBITOR-MCI-3
- TYROSINE
- V-INSULIN
- VERBASCOSIDE
- VICINE
- ZEATIN
- ZEATIN-RIBOSIDE
- (-)-MENTHOL
Legality
No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.
Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.
Reference images
Sources
Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP
World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0
show claim source mapping
- identity · DH-SRC-0030
- documented_uses · DH-SRC-0030
- compounds · DH-SRC-0030
- taxonomy · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
- common_names · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
- countries · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
- wfo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0003 · source ↗
- cultural_records · DH-SRC-0030 · source ↗
- powo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0001 · source ↗
- wcvp_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0002 · source ↗
CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive
Contributions and revisions
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