females short peduncled. Ovary is oblong, softly pubescent with short style and many
ovules. Fruits are large, usually bottle or dumb-bell-shaped, indehiscent and polymorphous.
Seeds are many, white, horizontal, compressed, with a marginal groove and smooth. There
are sweet fruited and bitter-fruited varieties (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988). The fruit contains a
thick white pulp which, in the cultivated variety (kodu) is sweet and edible, while in the
smaller wild variety (tamri) it is bitter and a powerful purgative. The seeds yield clear
limpid oil which is cooling and is applied to relieve headache. The pulp of the cultivated
forms is employed as and adjunct to purgatives and considered cool, diuretic and antibilious,
useful in cough, and as an antidote to certain poisons. Externally it is applied as a poultice.
The leaves are purgative and recommended to be taken in the form of decoction for jaundice
(Nadkarni, 1998). In the case of sweet-fruited variety, the stem is laxative and sweet. The
fruit is sweet oleagenous, cardiotonic, general tonic, aphrodisiac, laxative and cooling. In the
case of bitter-fruited variety, the leaves are diuretic, antibilious; useful in leucorrhoea,
vaginal and uterine complaints and earache. The fruit is bitter, hot, pungent, emetic, cooling,
cardiotonic, antibilious; cures asthma, vata, bronchitis, inflammations ulcers and pains.
3. Luffa acutangula ( Linn. ) Roxb.
Eng: Ridged gourd; San: Dharmargavah, Svadukosataki; Hin: Tori, Katitori; Ben: Ghosha
Mal: Peechil, Peechinga; Tam: Pikangai, Prikkangai; Tel: Birakaya; Kan: Kadupadagila
Ridged gourd or ribbed gourd is a large monoecious climber cultivated throughout
India. It is with 5-angled glabrous stems and trifid tendrils. Leaves are orbicular-cordate,
palmately 5-7 lobed, scabrous on both sides with prominent veins and veinlets. Flowers are
yellow, males arranged in 12-20 flowered axillary racemes. Female flowers are solitary,
arranged in the axils of the males. Ovary is strongly ribbed. Fruits are oblong-clavate with
10 - sharp angles 15-30cm long, tapering towards the base. Seeds are black, ovoid-oblong,
much compressed and not winged (Warrier et al, 1995). The leaves are used in
haemorrhoids, leprosy, granular-conjunctivitis and ringworm. The seeds are useful in
dermatopathy. The juice of the fresh leaves is dropped into the eyes of children in granular
conjunctivitis, also to prevent the lids from adhering at night on account of excessive
meihomian secretion (Nadkarni, 1998). Fruits are demulcent, diuretic, tonic, expectorant,
laxative and nutritive. The seeds are bitter, emetic, cathartic, expectorant and purgative.
The other important species of the genus Luffa are:
L. aegyptiaca Mill.
L. acutangula var. amara Clarke
L. echinata Roxb.
4. Benincasa hispida (Thumb.) Cogn. syn. B. cerifera Savi.
Eng: Ash gourd, White gourd melon; San: Kusmandah; Hin: Petha, Raksa; Ben: Kumra
Mal: Kumpalam; Tam: Pusanikkai; Kan: Bile Kumbala; Tel: Bodigummadi
Ash gourd or White gourd melon is a large trailing gourd climbing by means of
tendrils which is widely cultivated in tropical Asia. Leaves are large and hispid beneath.
Flowers are yellow, unisexual with male peduncle 7.5-10cm long and female peduncle
shorter. Fruits are broadly cylindric, 30-45cm long, hairy throughout and ultimately covered
with a waxy bloom. The fruits are useful in asthma, cough, diabetes, haemoptysis,
hemorrhages from internal organs, epilepsy, fever and vitiated conditions of pitta. The seeds
are useful in dry cough, fever, urethrorrhea, syphilis, hyperdipsia and vitiated conditions of
pitta (Warrier et al,1993). It is a rejuvenative drug capable of improving intellect and
physical strength. In Ayurveda, the fresh juice of the fruit is administered as a specific in
haemoptysis and other haemorrhages from internal organs. The fruit is useful in insanity,
epilepsy and other nervous diseases, burning sensation, diabetes, piles and dyspepsia. It is a
