Since Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), also known as bitter melon, bitter gourd or bitter squash, Pavakai in Tamil, Karela in Urdu [1] that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, a family that also includes squashes, melons and gourds, arrived to America some 500 years ago, brought by African slaves without even knowing what cancer was, it has been with us exerting many health benefits and properties every time we used it as part of our diets.

Now, the University of Colorado Cancer Center published a study in the Journal of Carcinogenesis [27] that adds to the already known anti-diabetic, wound healing and anti-cancer properties of Bitter melon a new one, the ability of Bitter melon juice to fight Pancreatic cancer [26], one of the most dangerous and lethal forms of cancer.

The study, performed in mouse models, showed how Bitter melon juice exerted the property to restrict pancreatic cancer cells ability to metabolize glucose, their main source of energy, weakining them and eventually causing their natural death, something that it does naturally. Image: Bitter melon by Leslie Seaton under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

MOMORDICA CHARANTIA

Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Momordica
Common name: Bitter melon, bitter gourd or bitter squash, Pavakai in Tamil, Karela (करेला) in Urdu and Hindi.

More than 500 years elapsed since African slaves arrived to America, bringing not only a rich cultural heritage and their traditional folklore but also herbs and fruits that rapidly propagated in America and became with the pass of the years part of their own culinary and cultural heritage. Image: Momordica charantia by Scottzona under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

When African slaves arrived to America, back in the 15th century, their access to medical resources and therapies was very limited, they had to rely in their own "traditional herbal remedies". Some of these cultural beliefs and traditional practices were more effective than others, but almost all of them were based on years of experience accumulated addressing medical conditions and ailments that were treated by their African ancestors using medicinal herbs and plants that serve for the purpose. One of this plants is Momordica charantia (Bitter melon), also known as bitter melon, bitter gourd or bitter squash, Pavakai in Tamil, Karela in Urdu [1], that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, a family that also includes squashes, melons and gourds [11].

MOMORDICA CHARANTIA

Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Momordica
Common name: Bitter melon, bitter gourd or bitter squash, Pavakai in Tamil, Karela in Urdu.