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Dirección de esta página: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/druginfo/natural/795.html

Melón amargo

¿Qué es?

El melón amargo (Momordica charantia) es una vid originaria de la India y otros países asiáticos. Se ha utilizado tradicionalmente para tratar la diabetes.

El melón amargo contiene una sustancia química que actúa como la insulina para ayudar a reducir los niveles de azúcar en sangre.

Las personas comúnmente usan melón amargo para la diabetes, la osteoartritis, el rendimiento deportivo y muchas otras condiciones, pero no existe una buena evidencia científica que respalde estos usos.

El melón amargo a veces se llama calabaza amarga. No confunda esto con la calabaza Ivy, que es una planta diferente.

¿Qué tan efectivo es?

Existe interés en usar melón amargo para varios propósitos, pero no hay suficiente información confiable para decir si podría ser útil.

¿Es seguro?

Cuando se toma por vía oral: El melón amargo es posiblemente seguro cuando se usa hasta por 4 meses. El melón amargo puede causar malestar estomacal en algunas personas. No hay suficiente información confiable para saber si el melón amargo es seguro para usar a largo plazo.

Cuando se aplica a la piel: No hay suficiente información confiable para saber si el melón amargo es seguro. Podría causar sarpullido.

Advertencias y precauciones especiales:

Embarazo: Es posible que el melón amargo no sea seguro cuando se ingiere durante el embarazo. Ciertos productos químicos en el melón amargo pueden dañar el embarazo.

Lactancia: No hay suficiente información confiable para saber si el melón amargo es seguro de usar durante la lactancia. Manténgase en el lado seguro y evite su uso.

Deficiencia de glucosa-6-fosfato deshidrogenasa (G6PD): Las semillas de melón amargo pueden causar anemia grave en personas que tienen deficiencia de G6PD. Hasta que se sepa más, evite las semillas de melón amargo si tiene deficiencia de G6PD.

Cirugía: El melón amargo puede interferir con el control del azúcar en sangre durante y después de la cirugía. Deje de usar melón amargo al menos 2 semanas antes de una cirugía programada.

¿Existen interacciones con medicamentos?

Moderadas
Tenga cuidado con esta combinación
Medicamentos movidos por bombas en las células (sustratos de glicoproteína P)
Algunos medicamentos entran y salen de las células mediante bombas. El melón amargo podría cambiar la forma en que funcionan estas bombas y cambiar la cantidad de medicamento que permanece en el cuerpo. En algunos casos, esto puede cambiar los efectos y los efectos secundarios de un medicamento.
Medicamentos para la diabetes (medicamentos antidiabéticos)
El melón amargo podría reducir los niveles de azúcar en sangre. La ingesta de melón amargo junto con medicamentos para la diabetes puede hacer que el azúcar en sangre baje demasiado. Controle de cerca su nivel de azúcar en sangre.
Pazopanib (Votrent)
El melón amargo podría aumentar la cantidad de pazopanib que permanece en el cuerpo. En algunos casos, esto podría aumentar los efectos y efectos secundarios de pazopanib.

¿Existen interacciones con hierbas y suplementos?

Hierbas y suplementos que pueden reducir el azúcar en sangre
El melón amargo podría reducir el azúcar en sangre. Tomarlo con otros suplementos con efectos similares podría reducir demasiado el azúcar en sangre. Ejemplos de suplementos con este efecto incluyen aloe, casia canela, cromo y nopal.

¿Existen interacciones con alimentos?

No se conoce ninguna interacción con alimentos.

¿Como se usa normalmente?

El melón amargo ha sido utilizado con mayor frecuencia por adultos en dosis de 0,5 a 12 gramos por vía oral al día durante hasta 16 semanas. Hable con un proveedor de atención médica para averiguar qué dosis podría ser la mejor para una condición específica.

Otros nombres

African Cucumber, Ampalaya, Balsam Pear, Balsam-Apple, Balsambirne, Balsamine, Balsamo, Bitter Apple, Bitter Cucumber, Bitter Gourd, Bittergurke, Carilla Fruit, Carilla Gourd, Cerasee, Chinli-Chih, Concombre Africain, Courge Amère, Cundeamor, Fructus Mormordicae Grosvenori, Karavella, Karela, Kareli, Kathilla, Kerala, Korolla, Kugua, Kuguazi, K'u-Kua, Lai Margose, Margose, Melón Amargo, Melon Amer, Momordica, Momordica charantia, Momordica murcata, Momordique, Paroka, Pepino Montero, Poire Balsamique, Pomme de Merveille, P'u-T'ao, Sorosi, Sushavi, Ucche, Vegetable insulin, Wild Cucumber.

Metodología

Para saber más sobre cómo este artículo fue escrito, refiérase a la metodología de la Base exhaustiva de datos de medicamentos naturales.

Referencias

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Documento revisado - 02/12/2024