Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Ampalaya: Natural weapon against diseases By Henrylito D. Tacio
PERHAPS not too many people know that there are natural weapons against diseases which can be grown right in the garden or farm.
One such weapon is the wrinkly green vegetable with a distinctive bitter taste called ampalaya. Known in the science world as 'Momordica charantia,' it is called bitter gourd or bitter melon.
Philippine traditional medicine attributes many medicinal properties to ampalaya. Books and articles on Philippine medicinal plants list several diseases where ampalaya is apparently beneficial.
Reportedly, the extract from the leaves or roots shrinks hemorrhoids. The leaf juice is supposedly a good antitussive (i.e., it stops cough), antipyretic (i.e., for fever), purgative and anthelmintic (i.e., against roundworms).
Ampalaya is also used to treat sterility in women and it can supposedly alleviate liver problems. Likewise, it is claimed that ampalaya has some antimicrobial activity and can help infected wounds.
"Commonly known as ampalaya in the Philippines, researchers refer to it as a vegetable, fruit, or herb," wrote Frank Murray in his book, 'Ampalaya: Nature's Remedy for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.' "It is indigenous to Asia, but is cultivated around the world, where it goes by almost 90 different names."
Yes, ampalaya has been considered as nature's answer to diabetes. Today, almost 100 studies have demonstrated the blood sugar lowering effect of this bitter fruit.
Dr. A. Raman and Dr. C. Lau, who reviewed over 150 pre-clinical and clinical studies on amplaya's anti-diabetes properties and phytochemistry, concluded that "Oral administration of fruit juice or seed powder (of bitter melon) causes a reduction in fasting blood glucose and improves glucose tolerance."
In the Philippines, Dr. William Torres, former director of Bureau of Food and Drugs, came up with this conclusion after reviewing several studies done on ampalaya: "Ampalaya fruits, leaves, seeds and other parts, when used as dry powders, extracts, decoctions, fresh or cooled, have clearly demonstrated hypoglycemic activity."
Researchers have identified the key compounds present in ampalaya, notably polypeptide-P, a plant insulin found only in the ampalaya.
Similar to animal insulin, polypeptide-P lowers elevated blood sugar levels. Dr. Torres maintains that ampalaya, when taken regularly, helps to increase glucose tolerance and "potentiate insulin.”
Even ampalaya leaves have some blood sugar lowering effect among diabetics, according to Dr. Eduardo G. Gonzales, of the College of Medicine at De La Salle University.
"This effect is noticeable regardless of how the leaves are prepared - boiled then eaten, or in the form of extract, tea, capsule or tablet."
Dr. Gonzales, however, warned diabetics not to be "overly enthusiastic in replacing their proprietary medicines with ampalaya teas, capsules or tablets."
As he wrote in his column published in a national daily: "None of the studies so far conducted on ampalaya and diabetes can be labeled conclusive. All were done using a very limited number of human subjects, and most are not controlled."
He further cautioned: "Ampalaya should be considered, at best, just an adjunct in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus that could possibly reduce the dose of anti-diabetic drugs that responsive patients need. It should not be regarded as a stand-alone treatment that can take the place of established medicines."
Recently, the Bureau of Food and Drugs approved the first ampalaya tea in the country -- Charantia Ampalaya Tea -- as ideal for diabetics' special dietary needs.
