This vine has taken over a shrub growing behind my house in Orlando, FL. The vine stem itself is very delicate though very tightly attached to the host. Seed pods are waxy orange with knobby covering. Inside there are bright red seeds which are moist and sticky. What is this vine called and where did it originate from. Attached are two pictures. Thank you.
Possibly Momordica charantia, common name Balsampear or Bitter Melon. See http://www.rain-tree.com/Plant-Images/ Scroll down to Momordica charantia and follow the link for comparison photos. or http://www.angelfire.com/dc2/aildesbois/Momordica_charantia_Dominicana.jpg for a picture of it on a Dominican stamp. Found various points of origin for it from India, Africa, South America. One page stated that it was used for its antidiabetic (lowering blood sugar) properties in India 2000 years ago, and so probably originated in Asia. Harry
From the Florida link in Daniel's post There were more than a few pages trying to sell it as an herbal remedy (capsule or tea derived from the leaves, not the seed pod) to lower blood sugar. On one page it stated that a few people had a hypoglycemic reaction, and in a few cases actually resulting in a hypoglycemic coma and death. The object was to convince the customer to buy, saying it's main problem was that it worked too well. My reaction was that anything that strong should be considered very carefully before use. Almost every page that was not an advertisement stated that you should not use this as a sole treatment for type 2 diabetes, that insulin works much better. Also on a few pages it was said that there had been a few experimental trials but none with the necessary numbers of participants to tell if it was efficacious or harmful. Hence whatever evidence there is for the use of Bitter Melon as an herb is highly anecdotal. Finally if you're diabetic and do use this "herbal remedie" it was suggested you should do so with care as you might have to adjust your insulin levels. Given all the above, I would be very leery about using it as a supplement to insulin for the treatment of diabetes. The cure might be more harmful than the disease, and that is saying a lot when you are talking about diabetes, given all the complications that are associated with that disease. Besides, anything you have to hold your nose, as was suggested on one web page, to get down can't be that great for you. :) Unless of course it's cod liver oil. :) Harry
Thank you all for the very insightful information. I checked out the links and confirmed that it is the plant mentioned. Thanks again.
I know this is a very old thread but I was describing this plant to my mother in-law this weekend so Goggled "orange pod with red seeds" to see what it was. This thread was at the top of the list. When I was a child, 5-7yrs old and living in Ft Lauderdale, FL, me and several other neighborhood kids would pick the orange pods and eat the red seeds out of them. I recall them being sweat. They may be considered poisonous but none of us ever appeared to suffer any ill effect. I also remember a time, like a pack of monkeys and over the course of two day, climbed up in somebody’s tangerine tree and eat every one. Boy I bet that guy was pissed when he discovered nothing but a bunch of peels under his tree. Oh the things kids can get into.
Okay, Not to be argumentative but from what I've read on this thread it has been from those with a viewpoint (everyone has one but 95% of viewpoints...give or take a percent...is, well you know, untested opinion to put it nicely). Not to be religious but if God made the plant I'll take my chances (and have making drinks blended with orange juice, pears, etc.). Here's a more comprehensive expose about the plant (see the bottom of the page of this link and use judgment. See, governments, institutions, groups, capitalists, and the like would of course have you believing that their "medicines" are what works but surely we've evolved from this programmed mentality haven't we?). http://www.rain-tree.com/bitmelon.htm P.S. I don't get headaches, haven't experienced comas, no ill effects whatsoever but I can tell you this....if the way to hell is described as being a broad road, then that means the majority is on it; whereas, the road to heaven is described as a path....I, for one, am taking my chances in any other direction than what the monopolistic media is telling us, than what governments that profiteer and murder is directing us, than the "schools" that teach curriculum that as a parent will actually lose the child if the parent chooses not to send their kids to those programming camps....you don't need a teacher to tell you to read a book but look what the schools are turning out these days. Enough said. Thanks for your patience in my words. http://www.rain-tree.com/bitmelon.htm
