Karela: A promising antidiabetic vegetable therapy

摘要: FOOD items are now being recognized not just as a source of chemical energy, but they also possess ingredients that help reduce the risk chronic lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, arthritis, cancer, allergies and related abnormal modalities. Our increased scientific understanding health benefits key components food has fuelled this renaissance 1 . This global is nothing resurgence ancient Chinese dogma ‘Medicine isogenic’ 2 doctrine Hippocrates (460‐ 377 BC), ‘Let be thy medicine food’ 3 These statements belief still continue in form traditional system medicine, particularly developing countries. Ayurveda, Indian systems an integral part culture 4 , continues to provide care large percentage our people 5 Modern analysis described classical texts ayurveda renovated justify claims made age-old classics. In ayurveda, karela (Momordica charantia Linn.) [Karavellan (Sanskrit), bitter gourd or melon (English)], grouped under vegetable class ( ) claimed several therapeutic properties. The compendia medicinal plants called Nighantus were written between 7th 17th centuries AD 6 Kaiyadeva Nighantu 7 Bhava Prakash 8 date 1500 1600 compilation these known Ratnakar 9 was 1867. describe following properties: