Ayurveda Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd or Karela

At Parijatak Ayurveda clinic the approach to Ayurveda is unique, in that it explores a Traditional Ayurvedic Treatment approach that one finds in India and in classical Ayurveda Era, not the distortions by American's Age Ayurveda', which deviates from Tradition.

As a Hindu in a Vedic lineage, Parijatak has grown up around tradition and seeks to also retain it. As such, this article expresses his views regarding comparisons between Traditional and New Age Ayurvedic Treatment.

New Age Ayurveda looks at employing shamana (palliative) techniques for Panchakarma (five detoxification actions in Ayurveda) and primarily Spa therapies are done initially for total body detoxification.

Traditional Ayurveda employs specific and detailed methods of Panchakarma beyond palliative care for treating disease. Specific messages are done according to various complex preliminary therapies by hand as specific massage techniques and therapies prepared accordingly and given along with specific decoctions oil to remove toxins from the body. Other preliminary therapies like internal operation are also administered.

Botanical Name :MomordicaCharantia Linn.

Classification:

According To Modern

Kingdom - Plantae

Order -Cucurbitales

Family -Cucurbitaceae

According To Ayurveda

Charak- sakavarga

Sushruta- sakavarga

Bhavprakash- sakavarga

Other Names :

Hindi name- Karela
English name- Bitter gourd, Balsam pear, Bitter melon
Bengali Name- Karla, Uchhe
Gujarati Name- Kareli
Kannada Name- Hagalakai
Marathi Name- Karle
Malayalam Name- Kaippakka
Tamil Name- Pavaikkari
Telugu name- Kakar

General Information :

Habit- Annual herbaceous climber, Root- Branched tap root, Stem- Aerial, weak, climbing by means of tendril, herbaceous and green, Leaves- Simple, alternate, deeply 5 to 7 lobed, reticulate multicostate venation. Inflorescence - Solitary Monoecious. Flowers- male and Female flowers are yellow with five petals. Fruits- A dark green berry dehiscing by 3 valves, longitudinally ridged with rows of triangular tubercles. Seeds are compared and immersed in bringht red pulp.

Types Of Plant's :

Small & Big

Cultivated &Jungli Varieties

Properties (Gunadharma)

Rasa-Tikta, Katu

Vipak- Katu

Virya- Ushna

Guna-Laghu, Rooksha

Specific Parts :

Panchanga, Fruit Skin.

Doshaghnata :

Kapha- Pitta shaman.

Shloka's :

करवेल्लमसकटूकंकटुपाककमवातलम

दिपनंभेदनंतिक्तंअव्रुष्यंअहिमंलघु

हन्त्यरोचकपित्तास्त्रकफपान्डुव्रणक्रीमिन

श्र्वासकासप्रेमहार्श: कोठकुष्टज्वरानपी

Benefits of Bitter Gourd or Karela:

It is used in aruchi, agnimandya and amadosha as rochana, deepana and pachana. In yakridvikara, arsha and krimi as Pittasaraka, bhedana and krimighna.In shotha, raktavikara and kasa, shvasa. It is used to anartava and stanyadushti being artavajanana and stanyashodhana. It is also used in diabetes mellitus to stimulate function of pancreas and to reduce blood sugar level; also in udarda, kustha, jvara, medoroga, and in vishavikara.

The fruit is cut into small pieces and given to treat cases of fever.

The juice of the fruit and leaves of karavellaka is given to treat conditions of amenorrhea and to purify the breast milk (as sthanyashodhana).

The juice of the fruit is consumed daily in a dose of 20-25 ml to detox the blood and act like a blood purifier.

The fruit is used as a vegetable and is found in many cuisines all over the world.

Formulation (Kalp) :

Kapha-Pittasamaka, Kaphahara.

Dosage :

Svarasa - 10 to 20 ml.

Research Corner :

A study is done to investigate blood glucose lowering effect of the Methanolic extract of fruit of Momordicacharantia L. in alloxan- induced diabetic albino rats. There was an initial rise in Fasting blood glucose for one hour after administration of extracts followed by steep reductions. Significant reduction in FBG occurred at 2 hours for 125 mg/kg of extract, 375 mg/kg. of extract and metformin when compared to normal saline. The maximum percentage reduction in FBC, by both extracts occurred between 3 and 12 hours post dose.

Home remedies :

Vatarakta (Gouty Arthritis)

Ghee cooked with the juice of Karavellaka (Momordicacharanita) is useful in Vatarakta (Gouty arthritis).

Visucika (Cholera)

The juice of Karavellaka (Momordicacharantia) mixed with oil relieves Visucika.