William Brieger
Bitter Melon
Momordica charantia, called bitter melon or bitter gourd in English, is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all fruits. There are many varieties that differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit. (Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon)
Antimalarial
It has been claimed that bitter melon's bitterness comes from quinine.[citation needed] Bitter melon is traditionally regarded in Asia as useful for preventing and treating malaria. Tea from its leaves is used for this purpose also in Panama and Colombia. In Guyana, bitter melons are boiled and stir-fried with garlic and oignons. This popular side dish known as corilla is served to prevent malaria. Laboratory studies have confirmed that species related to bitter melon have anti-malarial activity, though human studies have not yet been published.
Waako PJ, Gumede B, Smith P, Folb PI (May 2005). "The in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. and Momordica foetida Schumch. Et Thonn". J Ethnopharmacol 99 (1): 137–43. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.02.017. PMID 15848033.
Two plants Cardiospermum halicacabum L. and Momordica foetida Schumch. Et Thonn traditionally used to treat symptoms of malaria in parts of East and Central Africa were screened for in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity. Using the nitro tetrazolium blue-based parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay as used by [Makler, M.T., Ries, J.M., Williams, J.A., Bancroft, J.E., Piper, R.C., Gibbins, B.L., Hinrichs, D.J., 1993. Parasite lactate dehydrogenase as an assay for Plasmodium falciparum drug sensitivity. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 48, 739-741], water extracts from the two plants were found to have weak in vitro antiplasmodial activity with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) greater than 28.00 microg/ml. In vivo studies of water extracts from the two plants showed that Momordica foetida given orally in the dose range 10, 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg twice daily prolonged survival of Plasmodium berghei (Anka) infected mice from 7.0+/-1.8 to 17.9+/-1.8 days. The water extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum L was toxic to mice, none surviving beyond day 4 of oral administration, with no evidence of protection against Plasmodium berghei malaria. The study emphasizes the discrepancy that might be found between in vitro and in vivo testing of plant-derived antimalarial extracts and the need to consider in vitro antiplasmodial data with this in mind. Further studies on Momordica foetida as a source of an antimalarial remedy are indicated on the basis of these results.
http://www.malariafreefuture.org/blog/
Bitter Melon
Momordica charantia, called bitter melon or bitter gourd in English, is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all fruits. There are many varieties that differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit. (Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon)
Antimalarial
It has been claimed that bitter melon's bitterness comes from quinine.[citation needed] Bitter melon is traditionally regarded in Asia as useful for preventing and treating malaria. Tea from its leaves is used for this purpose also in Panama and Colombia. In Guyana, bitter melons are boiled and stir-fried with garlic and oignons. This popular side dish known as corilla is served to prevent malaria. Laboratory studies have confirmed that species related to bitter melon have anti-malarial activity, though human studies have not yet been published.
Waako PJ, Gumede B, Smith P, Folb PI (May 2005). "The in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. and Momordica foetida Schumch. Et Thonn". J Ethnopharmacol 99 (1): 137–43. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.02.017. PMID 15848033.
Two plants Cardiospermum halicacabum L. and Momordica foetida Schumch. Et Thonn traditionally used to treat symptoms of malaria in parts of East and Central Africa were screened for in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity. Using the nitro tetrazolium blue-based parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay as used by [Makler, M.T., Ries, J.M., Williams, J.A., Bancroft, J.E., Piper, R.C., Gibbins, B.L., Hinrichs, D.J., 1993. Parasite lactate dehydrogenase as an assay for Plasmodium falciparum drug sensitivity. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 48, 739-741], water extracts from the two plants were found to have weak in vitro antiplasmodial activity with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) greater than 28.00 microg/ml. In vivo studies of water extracts from the two plants showed that Momordica foetida given orally in the dose range 10, 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg twice daily prolonged survival of Plasmodium berghei (Anka) infected mice from 7.0+/-1.8 to 17.9+/-1.8 days. The water extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum L was toxic to mice, none surviving beyond day 4 of oral administration, with no evidence of protection against Plasmodium berghei malaria. The study emphasizes the discrepancy that might be found between in vitro and in vivo testing of plant-derived antimalarial extracts and the need to consider in vitro antiplasmodial data with this in mind. Further studies on Momordica foetida as a source of an antimalarial remedy are indicated on the basis of these results.
http://www.malariafreefuture.org/blog/
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