Bitter melon has had much traditional use in the Orient as a foodstuff and 'tonic'. Several other principles have been isolated from the plant, including a blood sugar lowering fraction, an anti-tumor fraction and an antifertility fraction (a lectin). The plant could be of benefit in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. It has numerous reported benefits for boils, burns, skin eruptions, itching skin, piles, psoriasis, rheumatism, sores, wound healing. In Africa, the plant is recommended for wounds, cuts and sores. Momordica charantia or African Cucumber (as it is known there), is used by pounding the fruit and using the oily pulp as a dressing16. The leaf decoction is used by the Cuna for measles. It is also reported to have styptic and astringent properties. Momordica charantia, is also a plant found in China, where it is (not surprisingly) known as Chinese Bitter Melon. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as an appetite stimulant, a treatment for gastrointestinal infection, and to lower blood sugar in diabetics. Recently, it has also been used in the treatment of certain types of cancer and viral infections. The fruit and leaves of Bitter Melon are used to reduce the levels of blood sugar. For centuries, Bitter Melon has been used as both a food and medicine throughout Asia as a therapeutic remedy in a variety of illnesses such as leukemia, diabetes, asthma, insect bites, menstrual cycle problems, stomach problems, as well as many other maladies. Recent studies have found anti-HIV properties.