ABSTRACT:
The present review gives information about the natural herb, Benincasa hispida (Ash gourd, Family: Cucurbitaceae), its traditional medicinal value and proven pharmacological activities. Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn, is best suited to the moderately dry areas of the lowland tropics and relatively drought-tolerant. It is a large climbing or trailing herb with stout hispid stems. Fruits are 30 to 45 cm long broadly, cylindric, not ribbed hairy, ultimately covered with a waxy bloom. Phytochemical review indicates the presence of triterpenes: alnusenol, multiflorenol, isomultiflorenol; flavone: iso-vitexin; and sterols: lupeol, lupeol acetate, and beta-sitosterol. Most of the peoples usually take its fruits as vegetable. All parts of the fruit can be used as medicine. Fruits of this plant are traditionally used as a laxative, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac, cardiotonic, and also in cases of jaundice, dyspepsia, urinary calculi, blood disease, insanity, epilepsy, fever, and menstrual disorders.