Bitter Melon: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a vine originally from India and other Asian countries. It has been traditionally used to treat diabetes.

Bitter melon contains a chemical that acts like insulin to help reduce blood sugar levels.

People commonly use bitter melon for diabetes, osteoarthritis, athletic performance, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Bitter melon is sometimes called bitter gourd. Don't confuse this with Ivy gourd, which is a different plant.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for Bitter Melon overview.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Bitter melon is possibly safe when used for up to 4 months. Bitter melon might cause upset stomach in some people. There isn't enough reliable information to know if bitter melon is safe to use long-term.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if bitter melon is safe. It might cause a rash.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy: Bitter melon is possibly unsafe when taken by mouth during pregnancy. Certain chemicals in bitter melon might harm the pregnancy.

Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if bitter melon is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency: Bitter melon seeds might cause severe anemia in people who have G6PD deficiency. Until more is known, avoid bitter melon seeds if you have G6PD deficiency.

Surgery: Bitter melon might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using bitter melon at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Bitter Melon
Bitter melon might lower blood sugar levels. Taking bitter melon along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
Pazopanib (Votrient) interacts with Bitter Melon
Bitter melon might increase how much pazopanib stays in the body. In some cases, this might increase the effects and side effects of pazopanib.
Medications moved by pumps in cells (P-Glycoprotein Substrates) interacts with Bitter Melon
Some medications are moved in and out of cells by pumps. Bitter melon might change how these pumps work and change how much medication stays in the body. In some cases, this might change the effects and side effects of a medication.

Dosing

Bitter melon has most often been used by adults in doses of 0.5-12 grams by mouth daily for up to 16 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.

View References

REFERENCES:

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Aguwa, C. N. and Mittal, G. C. Abortifacient effects of the roots of Momordica angustisepala. J Ethnopharmacol. 1983;7(2):169-173.

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Takemoto, D. J., Dunford, C., and McMurray, M. M. The cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of the bitter melon (Momordica charantia) on human lymphocytes. Toxicon 1982;20(3):593-599.

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Konishi T, Satsu H, Hatsugai Y, et al. Inhibitory effect of a bitter melon extract on the P-glycoprotein activity in intestinal Caco-2 cells. Br J Pharmacol. 2004;143(3):379-87.

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Kim SK, Jung J, Jung JH, et al. Hypoglycemic efficacy and safety of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Complement Ther Med. 2020 Aug;52:102524. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102524.

Unsal O, Sütcüoglu O, Yazici O. Dangerous interaction of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) with pazopanib: a case of acute pancreatitis. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2022;28(2):486-8.

Bae W, Kim S, Choi J, et al. Acute interstitial nephritis associated with ingesting a Momordica charantia extract: a case report. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021;100(27):e26606.

Cortez-Navarrete M, Méndez-Del Villar M, Martínez-Abundis E, et al. Effect of Momordica charantia administration on anthropometric measures and metabolic profile in patients with obesity: a pilot clinical trial. J Med Food 2022.

Chattopadhyay K, Wang H, Kaur J, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Ayurvedic Medicines in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:821810. Published 2022 Jun 8.

Kim B, Lee HS, Kim HJ, et al. Momordica charantia (bitter melon) efficacy and safety on glucose metabolism in Korean prediabetes participants: a 12-week, randomized clinical study. Food Sci Biotechnol 2022;32(5):697-704.

Zhang J, Wang W, Liu T, et al. Effects of Momordica charantia exosomes on platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2022;33(7):372-380.

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Bitter Melon - Uses, Side Effects, and More