Bitter melon, also known as momordica charantia, is easy to find in Asian food markets. It's top claim to fame is as a diabetes fighter. It may provide benefits against viral infections such as HIV and herpes as well, but more study is needed before conclusions can be drawn, says Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Herbal Healing." Bitter melon can be taken as an extract, juice, tincture or as a whole fruit. Always consult a doctor before trying a new supplement.
HIV Prevention
Bitter melon may be an option for preventing HIV infection. The herb has a compound that may kill viruses called MAP30, which stands for momordica anti-human immunodeficiency virus protein, says C.A. Schreiber, lead author for a study published in Fertility and Sterility. At the doses that inhibit HIV, MAP30 is not toxic to human sperm cells. Such doses also do not affect sperm motility, either, Schreiber says.
Diabetes
Bitter melon improves glucose tolerance in your body and improves your ability to use glucose, says Balch. Frequently used to lower blood-glucose levels among people who have diabetes, bitter melon has structural similarities to insulin in animals, notes E. Basch, lead author for a study published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Always use bitter melon under a healthcare provider's supervision if you are diabetic because it can have unwanted effects, ranging from headaches to hypoglycemic coma, Basch warns. Also, if you are using bitter melon to treat diabetes do not use the tincture, as it will be ineffective, according to Balch.
Herpes
Bitter melon may prove useful in treating herpes infections, say A.S. Bourinbaiar and S. Lee-Huang, authors of a study published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. The same protein that is effective against HIV, called MAP30, is responsible for this potential benefit. If this benefit translates from the lab to humans, bitter melon also may prove useful against chronic fatigue syndrome, which is linked to herpes infections, Balch says.
References
- "Prescription for Herbal Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch; 2002
- PubMed: "American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy"; Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): a review of efficacy and safety; E. Basch et al.; 2003
- PubMed: "Fertility and Sterility"; The antiviral agents, MAP30 and GAP31, are not toxic to human spermatozoa and may be useful in preventing the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1; C.A. Schreiber et al.; 1999
- PubMed: "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications"; The activity of plant-derived antiretroviral proteins MAP30 and GAP31 against herpes simplex virus in vitro; A.S. Bourinbaiar and S. Lee-Huang; 1996
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