132 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



Momordica balsamina, L. 



NOM. VULG. Ampalaya, Ampalea, Tag.; Amargoso, Sp.- 

 Fil.; Paria, Hoc.; Apalia, Pam.; Balsamina, Sp.; Balsam 

 Apple, Eng. 



M. charanta, L. (M. muricata, Willd.; M. cylindrica, Blanco.) 



NQM. VULG. The same as of M. balsamina. 



USES. The fruit of both varieties is edible, though a bitter 

 principle gives it such an intensely bitter taste that it is intol- 

 erable to the unaccustomed palate. It is eaten raw as a salad, 

 or cooked with meat or fish. The juice of the leaves is pre- 

 scribed internally as a purgative and anthelmintic. In Concan 

 it is given alone or combined with aromatics, in bilious dis- 

 orders as an emetic and purgative ; externally they use it as an 

 ointment for the itch and other skin diseases ; in India it is 

 mixed with cinnamon, pepper, rice and oil of Hydnocarpus 

 inebrians, Vahl. 



The fruit and leaves are used internally for worms and ex- 

 ternally for leprosy. Some Hindoo writers state that the fruit 

 is tonic and stomachic, and that it is useful in rheumatism, gout, 

 diseases of the liver and spleen. 



BOTANICAL DESCRfPTiox. The first variety, M. balsamina, 

 more common than the second, is a vine with angular stem and 

 simple tendrils. Leaves, many serrate lobules with white dots 

 on the ends. Flowers yellow, monoecious. Staminate soli- 

 tary, peduncles very long, involucre cordate ; calyx 5-lobed ; 

 corolla 5 petals ; filaments simple, one separate, 2 approxi- 

 mated ; anthers joined at their bases. Pistillate solitary ; 

 ovary, 3 locules and numerous ovules ; stigma, 3 bifid divi- 

 sions ; fruit globose, narrowing at the ends, covered with tuber- 

 cles ; seeds numerous, lacking albumen, having red aril. 



The second variety, M. cylindrica, has a downy stem, 5- 

 angled with simple tendrils. The leaves are 5-lobuled, cordate, 



