Benincasa hispida – "Brihatphala" - A Review
Benincasa hispida "Brihatphala" - A Review
Benincasa hispida "Brihatphala" - A Review
Introduction:
The genus name was given to it by famous Italian botanist, Gaetano Savi,in 1818 to honour Giuseppe Benincasa, an Italian patron of botany. He called the plant as Benincasa cerifera " wax bearing". Hispida means " rough hairy"as whole parts of plant contains rough hair.13
Vernacular names:
Synonyms : Benincasa cerifera, Cucurbita hispida
Sanskrit : Kushmanda,Brihatphala, Karkotika, Kumbhaphal, Somayashtika
English : Ash gourd, winter melon, green pumpkin, wax gourd, white gourd
Marathi : Kohla
Hindi : Petha, Raksa
Kannada : Budhikumbala
Malayalam : Kum palam
Tamil : Pusanikka
Telgu : Budidajummea
Tulu : Karkumbuda
Gujarati : Kolu
Assamese : Komara
Nepal : Kubindo
French : Courgette velue
German : Wintermelone
Japanese : Togan
Korean : Donggwa
Arab : Muhadba
Malaysia : Kumbalam
In Nature :
Plant probably a native of Malaysia, but is now found throughout tropics. It is cultivated for its fruits throughout the plain of India, Burma and Ceylan, and on hills upto 4000ft. It is very well known vegetable in India, China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia14. In plains seeds are sown during Feb- Mar and on hills in Mar- May.
Propagation and cultivation :
Varieties : Co 2' is a high yielding released from Tamil Nadu. It bears small fruits weighing 3 kg.
Cultivation :
Crop can be grown in plains in late winter by adopting polyhouse technology. It involves raising the seedlings during Dec- Jan in small polythene bags. Seedlings having 3-4 true leaves should be transplanted in the pits in 1st week of Feb when danger of frost is over. About 1,150 1,350 seedlings are required for planting 0.405 hector land. Improved varieties Co 1' & Co 2' are suitable for commercial cultivation . By adopting this technique the fruits can be taken 1- 1 mth in advance than normal method of direct seed sowing in field.
The optimum temperature when growing is 73 -820F and moderate rainfall but no hot, humid tropics. It requires long growing season of 5 months to develop to maturity, though they can be harvested at different immature stages. Wax gourd are drought tolerant. Where large fruits are wanted they are grown on flat grounds otherwise they are allowed to climb on fences.
Cultivated largely in uttar Pradesh, Punjab, rajasthan, and bihar
Parts used :
Seeds, fruits and fruit juice
Macroscopic :
Ash gourd or White gourd melon is a large trailing gourd climbing by means of
tendrils 10. It sprawl over ground or climb like pumpkin.
Stems: Thick, furrowed and hairy
Leaves : large and hispid beneath and rough to touch
Flowers : yellow, unisexual with male peduncle 7.5-10cm long and female peduncle
shorter.
Fruits : In immature fruits the skin colour can be of various shades from light or dark green to purple blue depending on the variety. The flesh is white and the fruit is coverd with downy hairs. The mature one are remarkable with distinctive waxy layer. This is protective layer for which it can be stored for longer period. They vary in shape from truly spherical, to round with flattened ends or just like Chinese pillow shape' . Broadly cylindric, 30-45cm long, hairy throughout 10 weighing around 11- 45 kg and the smallest one around 2.2- 4.5 kg and 30 38 cm long
Microscopic :
Mature fruit shows cuticularised epicarp consisting of single layered, squarish or
slightly tangentially elongated cells of epidermis, outer tangential walls of epidermis
thickened and cuticularised; a few epidermal cells divide periclinically and become 2 or 3
layered; mesocarp has a heterogenous structure consisting of multilayered hypodermis
composed of tangentially elongated, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; immediately
within this is a zone of thick-walled, multilayered, lignified sclereids with the outer one
to three layers thicker than the inner 2 to 6 or more layers; beneath this zone, thin walled
tangentially elongated, parenchymatous cells present, their size gradually
increasing from those at periphery to those inside of mesocarp, the latter becoming
circular having conspicuous intercellular spaces; vascular bundles poorly developed,
bicollateral, found scattered throughout mesocarp.
Powder - Dirty brown; shows numerous fragments of thin-walled, tangentially elongated
and circular parenchymatous cells, numerous sclereids in groups and singles and a few
fragments of xylem vessels having spiral thickenings.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter - Not more than 1 per cent
Total Ash - Not more than 12 per cent
Acid-insoluble ash - Not more than 1 per cent
Alcohol-soluble extractive- Not less than 10 per cent
Water-soluble extractive - Not less than 24 per cent
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract on Silica gel 'G' plate using Benzene: Ethylacetate
(9:1) shows under U.V. (366nm) two fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.71 and 0.79 (both violet).
On exposure to Iodine vapour eight spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.18, 0.28, 0.40, 0.50, 0.59,
0.71 and 0.79 (all yellow). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating
the plate at 105C for ten minute six spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.18, 0.40, 0.50, 071 and
0.79 (all violet).
Phytochemistry :
Major compound identified are:
(E) 2- hexenal, n hexenal, n- hexyl formate is powerful green fruity, pungent odour
n- hexenal is powerful, penetrating fatty green, grassy odour and n- hexyl formate is strongly penetrating, ethered fruity odour. It contains 0.5gm glucose & 0.5 gm fructose/ 100gm but no sucrose. However, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethylprazine, 2-methylpyrazine, and 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine were the major compounds in the wax gourd beverage.
Roots - Pentacyclic triterpene, bryonolic acid
Fruits - Lupeol, - sitosterol & their acetates, cucurbitin, rhamnose, mannitol, triacontenol, alkakali,fat,vitamin,glucose, adenine, trigonelline, histedine. The waxy layer of fruit contains pentacyclic triterpene isomultiflorenol acetate. The aroma of fruit & beverage differs because former contains hexanal compound & latter pyrazine compound.
Seeds 24z ethylidene cholesterol- 7 enol (avenasterol ) & 24 - ethyl cholesterol 7,25 dienol. Cucurbita 5,24 dienol is isolated from the leaves, stems, pericarp & roots.
Triterpene alcohols, euphol, tirucallol, cycloartenol, taraxerol, & - amyrin, butyrospermol, isomultiflorenol, 24 methylene cycloartanol, multiflorenol
Pharmacological/biological activities :
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.13
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 antihistamin 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 maybe 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 Swis 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
References :
Asolkar , L.V Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants with active principles Part , Edi 1992, 119
The wealth of India Raw Materials Vol (A-B) 1948, 173
Nadkarni , Indian Materia Medica Vol , 186
C.P Khare Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants edi 2007, 97
Sheth.Ashok.K Herbs of Ayurveda Vol , 2005
V.S. Agarwal Drug plants of India , 1997, 217
John Lindley & Thomas Moore The encyclopedia/treasury of botany of vegetable kingdom A glossary of botanical terms 1995
Kirtikar basu Indian medicinal plants - Vol 1994
G.A Stuart MD Chinese material medica vegetable kingdom - 1911
P. P. Joy J. Thomas Samuel Mathew Baby P. Skaria Medicinal Plants 1998, 130
Ayurvedic Pharmacopia of India Part , Vol V, 1st edi, 1st Jan-2004
Chopra's Indigeneous Drug's of India
Heiser.B.Charles The Gourd book 1920, 61 Jules Janick, Robert E. Paull The encyclopedia of fruits and nuts ,276
Kumar A, Rama I.T Antiulcer properties of methalonic extract of benincasa hispida (Thumb) Cogn.
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