Tony Johnson #1 @5413
Fri Dec 28 21:38:32 1990

                 General Information on -Momordica Charantia- 

   Gourd  family,  widely  used  in  traditional  medicine  in  the Orient and
Carribean.  The immature fruits are eaten by the Orientals as a vegetable, and
in the Phillipines, the young leaves are used as seasoning.  The plant is also
known to certain elderly African-americans of the southeastern US.  The  plant
should be shared freely along with this information.



                                 Description:

   Vines  with  square sided stems, slender, weak, creeping or climbing stems,
musky odor.  Leaves alternate,  palmate,  dull-green,  flabby,  with  5  to  7
toothed  leaflets.  Fruit 1 to 8 inches long or more, bright orange when ripe,
oval, pointed,  fleshy,  splits  into  3  parts  which  curl  back,  revealing
glistening,   bright-red,   moist   sticky   arils  (seed  coating)  enclosing
irregularly shaped elliptic brown seeds.

   Common  names  and  their associated cultures are: Bitterweed, Southeastern
US; Serasee, Carribean islands; Bitter melon, Oriental immigrants to  the  US;
Carillon,  Latin  America;  Mexicane,  Cajun "traeteur" of Louisiana, USA; Kho
Qua, Vietnam; K'u Kua, China; also, Balsam Pear, Boston  Pear,  Boston  Apple,
Bitter Gourd, Bitter Cucumber, Concombre Amer, and Bitterleaf.

   Raw  fruits  and seeds contain more of the active principle than leaves, so
caution should be taken when dealing with these.  Leaves may be eaten  raw  in
small  quantities.   A  pregnant  woman  should not use momordica, as it is an
ingredient in some abortifacent mixtures.   Although  the  plant  is  slightly
toxic  in  the  raw  state,  and  less  so  when  prepared,  it is safe to use
externally, and may be prepared in many ways for either use.

   Any  new  information  of interest should be forwarded to the author at the
address below.  The author is particularly interested  in  chemical  analyses,
recipes, anecdotes of treatments, experimental results, and references to this
plant  in  published works.  Although this plant is well known to certain non-
western cultures, it is virtually unknown in the US  and  Europe.   Therefore,
any  credit  due  for  this  information should be given to the author by real
name, J.  Dee Pinkney.



                                 References:

   -Wild  Plants for Survival in South Florida- Julia F.  Morton, Trend House,
1306 W.  Kennnedy Blvd, Tampa, Fla, 1974.  The botanical description above was
taken from this work.
   -A  Barefoot  Doctor's  Manual-  The  American  translation of the Official
Chineese Paramedical Manual, Running Press, 38 S Ninteenth St.,  Philadelphia,
PA 19103
   -In  addition,  it  is  packed for shipping by Emballes Par China National,
Kwangsi, People's Republic of China.
   -J. Dee Pinkney,  UNO PO Box 727, New Orleans, LA  70148
   -Tony Johnson, PO Box 8188, New Orleans, LA 70182
 

                              Uses of Momordica

   The  leaves  and fruits may be picked from the plant as needed, and used in
many ways, dried or fresh, internally and externally.  The leaves  and  fruits
taken  from  the  plant  at  the end of the season may be preserved by drying,
tincture, canning, or other  ways,  for  use  when  the  fresh  plant  is  not
available.   For external use, the leaves may be crushed and the juice applied
to the skin.  This has been used for insect bites, bee stings, burns,  contact
rashes,  and  small wounds.  The ripe berries may also be preserved in spirits
such as whiskey or vodka, and this applied to the skin.   The  leaves  may  be
boiled  to  make  a  decoction.   Enough  leaves  should  be  used to give the
decoction a strong bitter taste and impart color.

   This  decoction  is  drunk  as preventative or treatment for many problems,
such  as  stomachache,  fever,  infectious  diseases,   arthritis,   diabetes,
hypertension,  even cancer.  The decoction may also be used as a skin wash, or
added to the bathwater.  To make the taste of the  decoction  more  tolorable,
the  leaves  may  be  boiled  with mint, or the decoction may be tempered with
sugar, honey, or milk.  The green fruits  and  leaves  are  used  by  Oriental
peoples  as  a  vegetable.  Care must be taken in their preparation, since the
fruit is slightly toxic when raw, less so when cooked.

   The  leaves  may  be  finely chopped and added to cooked meat and vegetable
dishes during the last few minutes of cooking.  They impart a mild  curry-like
taste, bitter but not unpleasantly so.  This suggests an easy way to introduce
this plant to a person who will not drink the decoction.  Green berries may be
sliced  thin, dried, and stored for use when the fresh plant is not available.
These dried berry slices may be reconstituted in water and used  in  the  same
way  as  the  fresh plant; or they may be boiled for a decoction or eaten as a
vegetable.  Although the raw leaves are  said  to  be  slightly  toxic,  small
quantities  can  be  dipped  in  honey, chewed slightly, and swallowed by some
individuals.  They can also be finely chopped and mixed with other raw  greens
for salad.  If a single leaf, eaten in this manner, causes no discomfort, this
is another way of gaining the medicinal benefits of momordica.  The arils have
a  sweet  taste with only slight bitter undertones.  They should not be sucked
directly from the seeds, however, since mouth enzymes may damage the seeds and
make them unsuitable for planting.  Instead, rub or wash arils from the seeds,
and eat the arils.  If any other uses of this plant is known,  please  forward
them  to  this  address:  J.  Dee Pinkney, UNO Box 727, New Orleans, Louisiana
70148.
 

                         Anecdotal Uses of Momordica

   Fresh  leaves,  crushed  and  applied  to insect bites, relieve itching and
lessens or sometimes prevents formation of welts or sores.   The  same  effect
can  be  had  from  fresh  berries,  reconstituted  dried  berries, or berries
perserved in tincture.  The decoction relieves skin rashes and heat rash.  The
crushed leaves have been used to relieve the pain of wasp stings, and no welts
formed.  A decoction of the leaves may be taken at  the  onset  of  infectious
diseases,  and  the  course of the disease will be mitigated.  It may be taken
during cold and flu epidemics as a prophylactic.  It has  been  used  to  wash
arthritic  limbs,  feverish children, and infected skin wounds; the effect has
been strikingly beneficial.  The decoction, taken regularly, has been used  to
regulate blood sugar and control diabetes.

   A  poultice  of  honey  and  crushed  leaves  was  applied to second-degree
gasoline burns.  The person also ate raw leaves, in small  quantities,  dipped
in  honey and chewed slightly.  The burns healed quickly, were totally free of
infection, and no scaring was found after healing.



            "Bitter Melon Soup", a traditional Vietnameese recipe 

   Blanche  several  green melons in boiling water, cut lengthwise, and remove
seeds.  Stuff with a "pate" of meat if  used,  or  soy  protein,  onions,  and
seasoning.   Tie  the  melons  together  with rubber bands, and return them to
boiling water.  Cook for about an  hour  and  salt  to  taste.   My  informant
remarked "it is very good for the liver," and added that the melon may also be
sauteed like summer squash, but "the soup is better for the liver."
 

       Planting and Horticulture Instructions for -Momordica Charantia-

   Soak  seeds in water for several days while moon is waxing or new.  Prepare
containers of good potting soil, well watered & drained.  Plant seeds about  1
inch  (3 cm) deep & 2 inches (6 cm) apart.  Cover containers with cellophane &
set in a warm, dark place.

   When  seeds  sprout, remove cellophane & set near a sunny window; keep soil
moist.  When seedlings have produced 2 sets of true  leaves,  they  should  be
transplanted  to the ground, or if this is not possible, transplant to a large
container of good soil (at most 2 or 3 plants to 5 gallons soil).

   Transplant  outdoors after season has become warm.  Prepare a location with
partial sun & good soil, well-watered &  well-drained.   Provide  support  for
vines, with no other type of vine sharing this support (otherwise harvest will
be  difficult).   The  plant,  a tropical annual in the gourd family, may need
assistance to produce seeds if climate is insufficiently warm or moist.  After
several months, the plant will begin to produce male & female  yellow  flowers
about 2-3 cm in diameter.  Male flowers, more numerous, have a yellow center &
conical  base,  while  female  flowers have a green center & small bump at the
base.  When a female  flower  appears,  cross  pollinate  by  gently  touching
several  male  flower  centers with a soft implement (eg, feather, bit of soft
paper, small pointed paintbrush, or fingertip if one  has  a  light  touch)  &
transferring pollen grains to center of female flower.  If females flowers are
numerous & bees are present, this procedure is not needed.

   Few  pests  plague  this  plant,  since  leaves  are very bitter.  If pests
appear, control by sprinkling plant with a mixture of cayenne  pepper,  garlic
powder, & water, or with a light solution of soapy water.

   Throughout  the  growing  season,  leaves  may  be  taken from the plant to
preserve by drying for use when fresh plant  is  not  available.   Take  older
leaves  in  mid-  morning after dew has dried & no rain has fallen for several
days.  When fruits develop, they will be soft, light green gourds with a bumpy
or irregular surface.  Allow to mature until they  become  orange,  when  they
will  split  open  to  reveal a number of seeds.  These seeds are covered in a
sticky, bright red aril.  Since the arils attract ants &  birds,  pick  mature
fruit  when  it  begins  to split.  Scoop out seeds, wash thoroughly to remove
arils, & set seeds out to dry.  When dry, seeds  may  be  wrapped  loosely  in
clean  brown  paper  & stored to plant next season.  At the same time preserve
the mature fruits.  As an alternate way to remove arils, spread the seeds on a
large, clean piece of cloth and allow to dry for a few days.  Then, the  arils
may be easily rubbed from the seeds.
 

   Planting and Horticulture Instructions for -Momordica Charantia- (cont.)

   In  temperate  climates,  the plant begins to lose vigor after about six to
nine months.  It will produce a large number of female flowers, & at the  same
time begin to weaken noticeably.  At this time it should be harvested.  Fruits
which  are nearly mature should be allowed to ripen, but may be picked so that
seeds can be obtained.  The immature fruits are removed & preserved by drying,
canning, or other ways.

   Near  the  end  of the season the vines may be removed from their support &
spread out to dry.  While doing this, remove & discard any  leaves  which  are
defective.   To preserve immature fruits, slice thinly & dry by spreading on a
screen or blanket or stringing loosely.  They should be set in partial  sun  &
protected from moisture & insects.  To preserve mature fruits, wash & cut into
small  pieces,  &  place  in  a container of spirits such as vodka or whiskey.
This may be strained for a tincture, or used as is.  Immature fruits may  also
be  cooked  &  eaten  fresh, canned, or preserved in other standard ways.  The
seeds may be planted & the cycle begin again when weather is warm, or  at  any
time for indoor cultivation.
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