Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Metabolic disorders, particularly diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and obesity, have become major public health challenges in both developed and developing countries. In India, where traditional systems of medicine continue to play a significant role, Momordica charantia L. (commonly known as bitter gourd or karela) is widely recognized as a medicinal plant of choice in the management of metabolic conditions. In Ayurveda, the fruit is described as Karavellaka and recommended for conditions related to Prameha and Medoroga, which broadly correspond to diabetes and obesity in modern terminology. Its qualities such as tikta (bitter) taste, laghu (light) and ruksha (dry) properties, and ushna virya (hot potency) explain its therapeutic actions within the Ayurvedic framework. At the same time, phytochemical research has identified compounds such as charantin, polypeptide-p, and momordicosides that exert hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic, and antioxidant actions. This paper explores the traditional use, phytochemical composition, modern biomedical evidence, and clinical applications of M. charantia in managing metabolic disorders, emphasizing its integration into traditional Ayurvedic formulations. By bridging classical Ayurvedic insights with contemporary findings, the paper highlights the potential of bitter gourd as a culturally appropriate, scientifically relevant, and therapeutically valuable plant in metabolic health management.