Linn.Family: Cucurbitaceae.
Habitat: Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Ayurvedic: Patoli (related species of Patola).Siddha/Tamil: Kombu Pudalai.Action: Herb—bitter tonic, febrifuge. Root—purgative. Fruit— used as dentifrice.
Habitat: Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Ayurvedic: Patoli (related species of Patola).Siddha/Tamil: Kombu Pudalai.Action: Herb—bitter tonic, febrifuge. Root—purgative. Fruit— used as dentifrice.
Habitat: Cultivated throughout India particularly in South India.
English: Snake-Gourd.Ayurvedic: Dadhipushpi, Chichin- da, Shvetaraaji, Ahiphala.Siddha/Tamil: Pudal.Folk: Chichindaa, Chichendaa.Action: Root and seed—antibilious, vermifuge, antidiarrhoeal. Fruits— improve appetite, cure biliousness.
Alpha-, beta-, gamma-carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, hen- triacontane, ceryl alcohol, quercetin, alpha-amyrin, taraxerone, oxalic acid, surcose, and beta-sitosterol have been isolated from the fruit. The seed gave kaempferol, its 3-O-glucoside and quercetin.The plant gave cucurbita-5,24- dienol, 24-ethylcholesta-7-enol, 24- ethylcholesta-7, 22-dienol.... trichosanthes anguinaHabitat: Throughout India, in moist places.
Ayurvedic: Indravaaruni (red var.), Vishaalaa, Mahaakaala, Mahendra-vaaruni.Folk: Mahkaar, Maakaal, Laal Indraayana, Kondal.Action: Same as that of Citrullus colocynthis. The fruits are poisonous. The seed extract show haemagglutinating activity. Fruit— cathartic, antiasthmatic (the fruit is smoked in asthma and lung diseases), anti-inflammatory (used for rheumatic affections, weakness of limbs, dental diseases, hemicrania).
The root gave tetrahydroxypenta- cyclic triterpenoid, trichotetrol. Cy- clotrichosantol and cycloeucalenol have been isolated from the leaves.... trichosanthes bracteataHabitat: Foot hills of the Himalayas from Garhwal to Sikkim and in north-eastern India, up to 500 m.
Ayurvedic: Vidaari (var.), Bhuumi- kushmaanda, Patola (related species.).Folk: Bhui-kumhraa.Action: Tuber—dried powder given in enlarged spleen and liver; applied externally on leprous ulcers.
Used in prescriptions for haemor- rhagic diseases and in spermatopoietic tonics. Aerial parts—diuretic.The seeds yield 23.3% (dry basis) a fatty oil containing 32.3% of punicic acid.... trichosanthes cordataHabitat: Found throughout India in scrub-jungles and waste places.
Ayurvedic: Amritaphala, Vana- Patota, Tikta-Patoli.Siddha: Kattu Pey Pudal.Action: 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, cucurbita- cins B and E, oleanolic acid, beta- sitosterol and its D-glucoside. The seed oil showed the presence of puni- cic acid; oleic, linoleic, eleostearic, palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids. Meso-inositol was found to be present in the plant.... trichosanthes cucumerinaHabitat: Warmer regions of India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. Bihar, West Bengal and Assam.
English: Patol, Pointed Gourd.Ayurvedic: Patola, Kulaka, Raa- jiphala, Karkashchhada, Karkasha, Bijagarbha.Unani: Parwal.Siddha: Kommu Patolia.Action: Aerial parts—hypogly- caemic. Fruits—juice of unripe fruits used in spermatorrhoea. Leaves—febrifuge; prescribed as a diet in enlargement of liver and spleen; piles and fistula. Root— cathartic, febrifuge.
The fruits contain free amino acids, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, vitamin C, thiamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine. Mature plant and root gave cucurbita-5, 24-dienol. Colocynthin, trichosan- thin, hentriacontane have been isolated from the root.Fatty acids from the seeds comprise elaeostearic, linoleic, oleic and saturated acids.The whole fruit and pulp produced significant hypocholesterolaemic, hy- potriglyceridaemic and hyper-phos- pholipidaemic effects in normal and midly diabetic human subjects.Extracts of seeds exhibit haemagglu- nating activity.Dosage: Leaf—10-2 ml juice. (CCRAS.)... trichosanthes dioica
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