THE LATEST ABOUT AMPALAYA
Is it really true that ampalaya tea and capsules are effective in lowering the blood sugar of diabetics? Are they really good substitutes for the anti-diabetic drugs that are available in the market? Does ampalaya have other medicinal properties? — Melchor R., Manila.
Ampalaya is the Tagalog name of Momordica charantia, a vine whose leaves and fleshy green fruits, although bitter, are integral ingredients of many Filipino dishes such as pinakbet and ginisang mungo. It is widely cultivated in the Philippines and goes by a variety of other names: Amargoso (Spanish & Aklanon), Apalia (Pampango), Palia (Ifugao), Paria (Bisayan region). In the west, ampalaya is known as bitter melon, bitter gourd, African cucumber, balsam pear or balsam apple.
In terms of nutritional contents, the fruits and leaves of the ampalaya are reportedly rich in minerals and vitamins, notably iron, calcium, phosphorus and Vit B. However, it is not known how much of these substances can actually be extracted and absorbed by the body’s digestive system from the leaves and fruits of the plant because there is a possibility that these substances exist in unabsorbable form.
In addition to simply being a source of nutrients, 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). It 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. Lately, some reports further claim that ampalaya has substance Q and is of some value in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
None of the above reported medicinal uses of ampalaya has been scientifically proven, although they have not been disproved, either. It’s just that the ampalaya has not been studied extensively enough.
There is, however, one disease — type 2 diabetes mellitus — where a substantial number of scientific studies using ampalaya leaves have already been undertaken. Results of these scientific studies that determine the effect of drinking ampalaya extract on blood sugar level of type 2 diabetics have consistently shown that ampalaya lowers blood sugar level. The effect on blood sugar of ampalaya is attributed to its content of momordicin, a substance that is sometimes called plant insulin. This is also the substance that is responsible for the bitter taste of plant’s leaves and fruits.
Evidently, ampalaya leaves have some blood sugar lowering effect among diabetics. This effect is noticeable regardless of how the leaves are prepared — boiled then eaten, or in the form of extract, tea, capsule or tablet. But diabetics should be cautioned against being overly enthusiastic in replacing their proprietary medicines with ampalaya teas, capsules or tablets. 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.
In fact, according to DoH Secretary Manuel Dayrit, to date, "… no large clinical trial has yet been published on any type of preparation of Momordica charantia (ampalaya)." The manufacturers of ampalaya teas, capsules and tablets themselves are not claiming therapeutic benefits for their products. They market their preparations as supplements.
Ampalaya should be considered, at best, just an adjunct in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus that could possibly reduce the dose of antidiabetic drugs that responsive patients need. It should not be regarded as a stand-alone treatment that can take the place of established medicines.
Also, diabetics who wish to try ampalaya need not spend money on the tablet, capsule or tea forms of the plant. They can cultivate the plant or buy it from the market and make their own preparation.
To prepare ampalaya extract, the Department of Health (DoH) says the following steps should be followed:
Wash and finely chop leaves.
Add six tablespoons of the chopped leaves in two glasses of water.
Boil the mixture for 15 minutes in an uncovered pot.
Cool down and strain
Drink 1/3 cup of the solution 3x a day.
Alternately, ampalaya tops can be steamed and eaten (1/2 cup 2x a day).
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