Discover the Power of Plants
← Back to the Herbal Library
Botanical illustration of Bitter Melon
CulinarySourced entry

Bitter Melon

Momordica charantia

The fruit of Momordica charantia, the same species as cerasee, studied mainly for diabetes. Trials disagree on whether it lowers blood sugar.

Bitter Melon may interact with some medicines. If you take any medicine, read Interactions with medicines below and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

What is Bitter Melon?

Plant family
Cucurbitaceae, the gourd and cucumber family
Parts used
The fruit, as juice, powder or extract
Genus
Momordica
Species
charantia

Also called

Yangju Bitter Melon, Bitter Gourd, Karela, Momordica charantia

Traditionally used for

  • Blood sugar (studied)

Traditionally described as

    Health topics

    Where Bitter Melon appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

    • High Blood Sugar

      Reviews disagree: one found lower blood sugar in diabetes trials, another found no clear effect against placebo. May add to diabetes medicines.

    Safety

    Interactions with medicines

    • Bitter melon may add to the effects of insulin and other diabetes medicines, raising the risk of low blood sugar. It may also affect how some other medicines are cleared from the body.[1]

    Side effects

    • It can cause stomach and gut problems. Case reports describe irregular heartbeat, stomach ulcers and severe kidney injury.[1]

    Pregnancy

    • Avoid bitter melon preparations during pregnancy: they caused bleeding from the womb in pregnant animals, and some of their compounds act like estrogen.[2]

    Toxicity testing

    • The seeds contain vicine, which has caused headache, fever, stomach pain and coma.[1]

    What does the research say?

    Traditional use

    These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

    • Bitter melon is the fruit of Momordica charantia, the same species as cerasee, whose leaves and vines are used as a Caribbean bush tea (see the Cerasee page). It's studied mainly for diabetes.[2]

    Research in people

    • A 2025 review of 25 trials in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes found bitter melon lowered fasting blood sugar and long-term blood sugar (HbA1c) and improved insulin resistance.[3]

      Technical detail: FBG SMD −0.46 (−0.73 to −0.18); HbA1c SMD −0.57 (−0.83 to −0.31).

    • But a 2023 review of 9 placebo-controlled trials with 414 people with metabolic syndrome found no clear effect on blood sugar, cholesterol, weight or blood pressure, and concluded that its effect can't be determined from the evidence so far.[4]

      Technical detail: FBG MD −0.03 (−0.38 to 0.31); HbA1c MD −0.12 (−0.35 to 0.11).

    In short

    Avoid in pregnancy. May add to diabetes medicines. The seeds are toxic.

    Sources

    1. [1] Bitter Melon — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, About HerbsGeneral reference
    2. [2] Momordica charantia L.—Diabetes-Related Bioactivities, Quality Control, and Safety Considerations — Frontiers in Pharmacology · DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.904643Peer-reviewed study
    3. [3] Efficacy of Momordica charantia in glycaemic control and insulin resistance among patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis · DOI: 10.1016/j.metop.2025.100407Review or clinical trial
    4. [4] The metabolic effect of Momordica charantia cannot be determined based on the available clinical evidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials · DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1200801Review or clinical trial

    This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.