Bitter melon/gourd (Momordica charantia )

Bitter melon/gourd is one of the favorite vegetables tropical and subtropical regions. The scientific name of the bitter melon/gourd is Momordica charantia. This vegetable belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. The original home of the species is not known, other than that it is a native of the tropics. It is widely grown in India and other parts of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Description of the plant;

1. Vine grows to 5 m: simple, alternate leaves 4–12 cm across, with 3–7 deeply separated lobes: separate yellow male and female flowers.
2. fruit: warty looking exterior and an oblong shape: Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, ripening to red
3. Bitter melon contains a bitter compound called momordicin that is said to have a stomachic effect.

Medicinal uses;

1. diabetes mellitus
2. HIV

What is CYTOSOL?

It is the fluid found inside cells. The cytosol is also known as intracellular fluids. In Eukaryotes, the organells are suspended in the cytosol where as in prokaryote; most of the metabolic reactions take place in the cytosol.

The composition of the cytosol is complex as it is a combination of hundreds of chemicals and water. Water makes up the base of the cytosols whereas water is the major component of the cytosol.

Composition of the cytosol

1. Water (70 %)
2. irons (sodium, potassium, chloride, etc)
3. macromolecules (protein, DNA, lipids)

Major functions of cytosol

1. signal transduction
2. transport metabolites from their site of production to where they are used
3. the site of most metabolism in prokaryotes
4. half of the proteins in the cell are localized to the cytosol
5. Major metabolic pathways that occur in the cytosol in animals are protein biosynthesis, the pentose phosphate pathway, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.

Alcoholic liver disease

Alcohol or ethanol is the major culprit of liver disease world wide. Amount of alcohol consume per day, type of alcohol, racial difference and genetic composition are some of the major factors which determine the severity and the course of the alcoholic liver disease.

Alcohol is mainly metabolized by the alcohol dehydrogenase system where as microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) is responsible for the metabolism of small amount of alcohol. This MEOS system is induced by the regular alcohol consumption. End results of these metabolism pathways are largely responsible for the alcohol related organ damage.

Followings are the different stages of alcoholic liver disease;

1. Alcoholic fatty liver
2. Alcoholic hepatitis
3. Cirrhosis

Alcoholic fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis are reversible if consumption is terminated. Cirrhosis is an irreversible condition and it carries poor prognosis.

Complications of alcoholic cirrhosis are:

1. Ascites
2. Portal hypertension
3. Variceal bleeding
4. Hepatic encephalopathy
5. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
6. Hepatorenal syndrome
7. Hepatocellular carcinoma