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Botanical

Bitter melon

Bitter melon, Momordica charantia, is a tropical vine with an edible bitter fruit. Its extracts contain glycosides and triterpenes.

Also listed as Organic Bitter Melon, Bittermelon, Momordica charantia, Bitter Melon Extract

LongevityWeight ManagementGut HealthCardiovascular

Diabetes medicines and pregnancy

Bitter melon may add to the effects of insulin and diabetes medicines. MSK advises against use during pregnancy, citing animal evidence of developmental harm. It also flags possible drug-metabolism interactions whose clinical importance remains uncertain. 1

What side effects are reported?

LiverTox describes gastrointestinal symptoms and hypoglycemia, including rare severe episodes. Its 2023 review found no published liver injury attributable to bitter melon extracts; that does not make all other risks disappear. 2

For information, not individual medical advice. Ingredient studies do not establish the effectiveness of these products.

Sources

  1. Bitter Melon Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  2. Bitter Melon LiverTox, NIDDK, 2023