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Botany
Wide-spreading, hairy, annual
vine with branched tendrils reaching a length of 4-8 meters.
Leaves are rounded or kidney-shaped, 10-20 cm diameter, 5- yo
7-lobed, heart-shaped at the base. Flowers are large and yellow,
with a densely hairy bell-shaped calyx tube. The five petals
are spreading, 3-5 cm long. Fruit is ellipsoid or ovoid, 25-40
cm long, green, with a white and waxy bloom. The seeds are many,
oblong, and compressed.
Distribution
Cultivated for the edible fruit. Occasionally,
wild.
Chemical
constituents and characteristics
Amino acids, mucins, mineral salts,
starch (32%), vitamins B and C, fixed oil (44%), cucurbitine, acid resin,
myosin, vitellin, sugar (4%)
Phytochemical studies indicate two triterpenes, alunsenol and mutiflorenol,
with mast cell stabiling effects in rats.
Pulp is a source of vitamins B and C.
Properties
• Considered astringent, anthelmintic,
aphodisiac, demulcent, diuretic, febrifuge, styptic, tonic.
• Seed is anthelmintic, antiinflammatory.
• Fruit is nutritive, tonic, diuretic, alterative, and styptic.
Parts
utilized
Whole fruit with seeds and
skin.
Uses
Nutritional
• Edible: Flowers, fruit, leaves, seed.
• Fruit used as vegetable (boiled), in pickles, curries and preservers; sweetened
or candied.
• The fried seeds eaten as a delicacy.
• Young leaves and flower buds steamed and consumed as vegetable.
Folkloric
• Seeds applied to simple skin eruptions.
• Seeds sans the outer covering used as vermifuge.
• Fruit rind is diuretic; ashes applied to painful wounds.
• Decoction of seed used for vaginal discharges and coughs.
• Fresh juice used as antidote for vegetable poisons.
• In China, popular
for its dermatologic and cosmetic applications - for facial blemishes;
moisturizing and skin softening use; anti-wrinkle and anti-aging skin
properties; preventing sun damage.
• In Japan, kondol
is a component of most traditional dermatologic formulations because
of its skin regenerative.
• Forms: Tincture or liniments; percolation with propylene glycol
or hydro-alcoholic solution.
• In Korea, used
for diabetes and kidney problems
• In Ayurveda, used
for coughs, epilepsy, asthma, peptic ulcers.
• In India, used
for treatment of peptic ulcer: Juice is squeezed out of grated gourd,
equal amounts of water is added, taken daily on an empty stomach, with
no food intake for 2 to 3 hours. (Source)
• Fruit juice used for insanity, epilepsy.
Studies
• Anti-Ulcer: Extracts
of Benincasa hispida prevent development of experimental ulcers: Used
in Ayurveda for peptic ulcers, the study showed extracts of BH may be
a natural drug with anti-ulcer activity.
• Anti-angiogenic Effect:
Study showed the seed extract of Bh decreased bFGF-induced
endothelial cell proliferation and tube formation in a dose-dependent
manner. It showed no cytotoxicity and showed potent inhibitory effect
on bFGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo. Seed extract of BH supports its
anti-angiogenic property through inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation.
• Gastroprotective / Anti-Ulcer
/ Antioxidant: (1) Study results were comparable with
the omeprazole treated group. Study suggest BH possess significant antiulcer
and well as antioxidant property. (2) Study showed decrease in ulcer
index in animals treated with fruit extract of Bh. BH has been shown
to contain active principles – terpenes, flavanoid C, glycosides
and sterols which have antioxidant effects, probably helping inhibit
gastric mucosal damage by scavenging free radicals and repressing production
of superoxide dismutase.
• Bronchodilator Effect:
EFFECT OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF BENINCASA HISPIDA AGAINST HISTAMINE
AND ACETYLCHOLINE INDUCED BRONCHOSPASM IN GUINEA PIGS: The ME of BH
showed excellent protection against histamine-induced bronchospasm probably
through an antihistamine activty (H1 receptor-antagonism).
• Opioid Withdrawal Benefit:
Study showed the juice of Bh showed significant activity against
symptoms of morphine withdrawal. Results suggest a potential for Bh
in preventing the development of morphine addiction and suppression
of opioid withdrawal in animals.
• Antinociceptive / Antipyretic:
Study results indicate that the ethanolic extract of
Benincasa hispida possesses potent antinociceptive and antipyretic effects
and pharmacologically justifies its folkloric use for fever and pain
conditions.
• Antidiarrheal: Study
showed the methanolic extract of fruit of Bh showed significant inhibitory
activity against castor oil-induced diarrhea and inhibited PGE2 induced
enteric pooling in rats. Results establish its efficacy as an antidiarrheal
agent.
• Antioxidant / Alzheimer's disease:
Results revelaed chronic treatment of Bh pulp extract markedly
decreased lipid peroxidation level, significantly increased superoxide
dismutase, CAT and reduced glutathione level in different parts of the
brain. Study showed the antioxidant property of Bh may be beneficial
in the management of colchicene-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease.
• Anorectic / Potential Anti-Obesity
Benefit : Study investigated the anorectic effect of
the methanol extract of Bh in Swiss albino mice. Results reveal, for
a the first time, a possible anorectic activity of Bh, probably through
CNS mediation, with no effect on gastric emptying. Further studies are
suggested for its antiobesity potential.
• Hypoglycemic / Hypolipidemic : Study results showed the possibility of therapeutic or preventive use of wax gourd in diabetes and hyperlipidemic states.
• Renoprotective: Study results showed Benincasa cerifera treatment prevented renal damage induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury in hyperlipidemic rats through decreasing of lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant enzyme activities.
Availability
Cultivated for edible fruit.
Occasionally, wild. |
