See text Momordica is a genus of about 60 species of annual or perennial climbers herbaceous or rarely small shrubs belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, natives of tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia and Australia.

Most species produce floral oils[citation needed] and are visited by specialist pollinators in the apid tribe Ctenoplectrini.

Some Momordica species are grown in cultivation for their fleshy fruit, which are oblong to cylindrical in shape, orange to red in colour, prickly or warted externally, and in some species burst when ripe, generally with elastic force, into irregular valves.

[1] A species of wild bitter melon is used in Ayurveda the ancient medicine system of India to treat diabetes.

Recent research has shown that the immature fruit might have some antibiotic, anticancer, and antiviral properties, particularly well suited for use in treatment of malaria, HIV, and diabetic conditions.

[citation needed] The use of Momordica fruit is contraindicated in a number of conditions, especially pregnancy.

[citation needed] The effect of Momordica charantia on glucose and insulin concentrations was studied in nine non-insulin-dependent diabetics and six non-diabetic rats.

These results show that it might improve glucose tolerance in diabetes but much more research is needed.

Doctors supervising Asian diabetics should be aware of the fruit's hypoglycemic properties.