Not just any ampalaya

I was talking to my Tia Rose some days back when she mentioned to me that she buys loads of ampalaya on market days and pickles them so they can have it any time of the day, any day of the week. That aside from serving it as a vegetable dish like pakbet or sauteed with eggs. I was surprised to know why they need to eat ampalaya everyday, the reason being its anti-diabetic property.

Yes, ampalaya or bitter gourd, with scientific name Momordica charantia, is proven to have insulin-like property. It decreases hepatic gluconeogenesis, increases hepatic glycogen synthesis, increases peripheral glucose oxidation in erythrocytes and adipocytes, and increases pancreatic insulin secretion. These result in decrease in blood sugar level. But not all ampalaya possess hypoglycemic properties.

In a study conducted by the University of the Philippines, as lectured to us during our PSP Convention in Tagaytay, it is only the Makiling variety which consistently produced the anti-hyperglycemic effects in rodents. Varieties coming from Cavite, Batangas, Los Banos, and Cotabato were similarly tested but did not yield the same results. And when the Makiling variety were replanted in other areas, it loses its anti-hyperglycemic property leaving them to conclude that it is only the Makiling variety which is unique with its anti-hyperglycemic effects. Actually, its 50 mg capsule is comparable to 1 mg of glibenclamide, an anti-diabetic drug. But the ampalaya capsule is recomended only for use as an add-on drug in patients with Fasting Blood Sugar of 200 mg/dl or less and those with pre-diabetes.

Aside from being a hypoglycemic agent, ampalaya has been found to be useful in other diseases like psoriasis, gastrointestinal cramps, other kinds of infections and even in cancer. But let us not forget that it has abortifacient effect so let us be careful in giving it to pregnant individuals.