**4. Toxic effects**

The severe adverse reactions were not reported during the short term studies while extensive data on the potential toxic effect of bitter melon are not available. Bitter melon fruits are edible and assumed to be well tolerated, at the same time toxicological evidences were reported to discover its therapeutic potential for diabetes. The two cases of acute intoxication reported after taking bitter melon tea [43]. The fruit and seeds demonstrated greater toxicity than the leaf or aerial parts of the plant. Abdominal pain as a side effect has also been reported in some studies [44]. The antifertility and abortifacient effects of the *M. charantia* L. reported in animals also value advance investigation. An acute disease favism characterized by hemolytic anemia, in individuals with a hereditary loss of the enzyme glucose-6 phosphatase has been shown by vicine found in fava bean. Consequently, the presence of vicine in bitter melon seeds was also suggested to put patients with glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency at risk [45]. Although there have been no reports on favism induced by bitter melon, individuals susceptible to the disease should avoid eating the fruit.

Several studies have been directed to reduce the bitterness of *M. charantia* L. preparations attributes to the triterpene compounds and increasing tolerability by the general public through various formulation approaches. Some recent studies used β-cyclodextrin at 0.25–2% concentrations to improve sensory quality, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and antidiabetic potential of *M. charantia* L. juice [46]. Various encapsulation methods of bitter melon extracts along with optimized spray-drying techniques were also scrutinized to obtain the powder [47].
