- Family
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Cucurbitaceae.
- Habitat
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Found throughout India in scrub-jungles and waste places.
- Ayurvedic
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Amritaphala, Vana-Patota, Tikta-Patoli.
- Siddha
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Kattu Pey Pudal.
- Action
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Bitter fruits—blood purifier (used in the treatment of skin diseases); germicidal; appetizer, laxative (used in bilious disorders); hepatoprotective. Root and seed—anthelmintic, antifebrile. Whole plant—antipyretic. Root—cathartic. Leaves—used externally in alopecia.
Cucurbitacin B has been isolated from the fruits.The root tuber contains glycoproteins and beta-trichosanthin.
The leaves gave luteolin-7-glucoside, kaempferol, 3,7-dirhamnoside and 3-glucoside-7-rhamnoside, cucurbitacins B and E, oleanolic acid, beta-sitosterol and its D-glucoside. The seed oil showed the presence of punicic acid; oleic, linoleic, eleostearic, palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids. Meso-inositol was found to be present in the plant.