bitter gourd

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Balsam-pear
• Bitter Gourd
• Bitter Melon
• Lizzard Food
• Lizzard Pepper
• Maiden Apple
• Snake Apple Bush
• balsam-apple
• bitter-cucumber
• bitter-melon
• carilla gourd
• Balsam Pear
• Bitter Cucumber
• Bitter squash
• Cerasee

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Cucurbitales, it is classified under the family Cucurbitaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Momordica, with the specific species name being charantia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Momordica charantia, exhibits a diverse geographical presence across several key regions. In the Macaronesia region, it can be found specifically in Cape Verde. Its distribution extends significantly into West Tropical Africa, where it is documented in Benin. Furthermore, the species is present in the West Tropical African nations of Burkina and Gambia. Finally, its range continues through the West Tropical African territory of Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Momordica charantia is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range of approximately 580 m AMSL. This plant is frequently found within the specialized ecosystem of the Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial), where it benefits from the high humidity and consistent moisture levels typical of rainforest environments. This distribution pattern suggests a high degree of adaptability to varying tropical altitudes while remaining fundamentally tied to the lush, wet conditions provided by ombrophilous forest habitats.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

580 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Genetics

The genetics of Momordica charantia are characterized by a specific chromosomal arrangement and reproductive structure. The species possesses a chromosome number of 11, 22, which serves as a fundamental indicator of its genomic composition. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a diploid ploidy level of 2, establishing the baseline genetic complexity required for its biological development and the inheritance of its various medicinal properties.

Chromosome number :

11, 22

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Momordica charantia is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire reproductive process within a single growing season. As a plant that thrives in warm climates, its biological strategy is defined by its status as a therophyte, a life form where the plant survives the unfavorable season as a seed. This therophytic nature allows it to rapidly colonize available space once favorable environmental conditions return, utilizing its climbing vines to maximize light interception. Because it functions as both a therophyte in terms of its seasonal survival strategy and its overall structural classification, it relies on the rapid development from germination to seed production to ensure the continuation of its lineage before the onset of cold or dry periods.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Momordica charantia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It functions as an independent, terrestrial plant that does not exhibit parasitic or epiphytic behavior, maintaining a strictly terrestrial lifestyle. As an obligatory climber, it utilizes a vine-like habit with a scandent shoot orientation to ascend its environment. The plant's physical stature is variable, with a minimum height of 0.5 m, a mean height of approximately 4 m, and a maximum potential height reaching up to 5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

4 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Shoot orientation :

scandent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Momordica charantia is characterized by specific morphological adaptations and metabolic processes, particularly regarding its foliar structure and nutrient acquisition. The leaves exhibit a variable size range, with lengths typically spanning from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 10 cm, and widths ranging between 4 cm and 8 cm. In terms of water storage strategies, the plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating a physiological reliance on standard transpiration and hydration methods rather than specialized fleshy tissues for moisture retention. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrogen from the soil through its root system.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width min:

4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Momordica charantia is characterized by a monoecious sexual reproductive system, featuring distinctive yellow flowers that facilitate pollination through a biotic syndrome, specifically relying on insects. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fleshy, capsule-type fruits that typically range in length from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 12 cm. These fruits are dehiscent, meaning they split open to facilitate seed release. The seeds produced within the fruit vary in size and weight, with a minimum seed length of 8 mm and a maximum of 16 mm, and a seed volume that is consistently recorded at 380 mm³. In terms of mass, the seeds range from a minimum of 0.023 g to a maximum of 0.1667 g, with an average seed mass of approximately 0.0745875 g. Dispersal of the seeds is categorized as anthropochorous, often aided by human intervention.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

12 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

monoecious

Seed length max:

16 mm

Seed length min:

8 mm

Seed mass max:

0.1667 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0745875 g

Seed mass min:

0.023 g

Seed volume max:

380 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Momordica charantia has 5 reported plant parts identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed, leaf, stem, root.

Fruit

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Chinese journal of natural medicines
4. Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
5. Planta medica

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. FEBS letters
5. Planta medica

Leaf

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
4. Scientifica
5. African journal of medicine and medical sciences

Stem

1. Journal of natural products
2. Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
3. Bratislavske lekarske listy

Root

1. Bratislavske lekarske listy

Chemicals

Momordica charantia has 220 reported phytochemicals identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Saponins, Charantin, quercetin, Momordicine I.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. Chinese journal of natural medicines
3. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))
4. Veterinary parasitology
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Saponins

1. Current organic synthesis
2. Journal of parasitology research
3. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Chinese journal of natural medicines
5. Pharmacognosy reviews

Charantin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Chinese journal of natural medicines
4. Pharmacognosy reviews
5. Natural product research

quercetin

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Veterinary parasitology
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. World journal of experimental medicine

Momordicine I

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Food & function
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

SAPONIN

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Planta medica
4. The American journal of Chinese medicine

triterpenoids

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Cancers
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Carotenoids

1. Current organic synthesis
2. Heliyon
3. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Glycosides

1. Journal of parasitology research
2. Pharmacognosy reviews
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Activities

Momordica charantia has 457 reported activities identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Hypoglycemic, Antibacterial, Abortifacient.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Journal of agriculture and food research
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Journal of applied biomaterials & functional materials

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Planta medica
5. Scientifica

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. The American journal of Chinese medicine
5. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of dietary supplements
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Microorganisms
5. Journal of applied biomaterials & functional materials

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. International journal of fertility
4. Biochimica et biophysica acta
5. General pharmacology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of dietary supplements
3. Journal of agriculture and food research
4. Pharmacognosy reviews
5. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural medicines
3. Food & function
4. Pharmacognosy reviews
5. Current medicinal chemistry

Antimicrobial

1. Scientifica
2. Food & function
3. Pharmacognosy reviews
4. Biochemical genetics
5. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Antihyperglycemic

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Indian journal of experimental biology
4. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. General pharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Momordica charantia has 111 reported medicinal uses identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diabetes mellitus, cancer, antidiabetic, obesity, inflammation.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations