Scientific Name: Mormodica charantia Linn.

Description: A climbing vine with tendrils up to 20 centimeters long. Leaves heart-shaped, 5-10 cm in diameter, cut into 5-7 lobes. Male and female yellow flowers, about 15 mm long, long-stalked with pair of small leaflike bracts at middle or toward base of stalk. Fleshy green fruit, oblong with pointed ends, ribbed and wrinkled, bursting when mature to release seeds. Seeds flat with ruminated margins. Probably of Asiatic origin. Year-round vegetable growing in various places from sea level to higher altitudes. Wild forms found in wastelands at low and medium altitudes.

Traditional Uses:

• Astringent powdered leaves or root decoction can be applied to hemorrhoids.
• Leaf juice for cough and as a purgative and anthelminthic to expel intestinal parasites, and for healing wounds.
• Seeds also used to expel worms.
• Juice from fruit used for dysentery and chronic colitis.
• The vine or the juice of leaves used as mild purgative for children.
• In large doses, the fresh juice is a drastic purgative.
• Decoction of roots and seeds used for urethral discharges.
• Pounded leaves used for scalds.
• Infusion of leaves or leaf juice used for fevers.
• In Jamaica, leaf decoction or infusion is taken for colds, as laxative and blood cleanser. Warm tea infusions also used for toothaches and mouth infections. Also used as a bath/wash for skin eruptions and acne.

Excerpts from: "An illustrated compilation of Philippine medicinal plants by Godofredo Stuart"