BATTLE GOURD CALABASH

BOTTLE GOURD, CALABASH (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.) +++

Synonym:
Cucurbita lagenaria L., C. leucantha Duchesne, C. longa hort., C. siceraria Molina, L. lagenaria (L.) Cockerell, L. leucantha Rusby, L. vulgaris Ser.

Activities (Bottle Gourd):
Analgesic (f; DEM); Antibilious (f; WOI); Antidote (f; LMP); Antiperiodic (f; KAB); Antipyretic (f; EFS); Antitussive (1; FNF; HAD); Antiulcer (1; FNF; HAD); Bitter (1; JFM); Cardiotonic (f; KAB); Cerebrotonic (f; KAB); Cholinergic (1; FNF; HAD); Demulcent (1; FNF; HAD); Diuretic (f; EFS); Emetic (f; EFS); Hemostat (1; FNF; HAD; KAB); Hepatoprotective (1; ABS); Laxative (1; EFS; JFM); Litholytic (f; EFS); Pectoral (f; WBB); Taenicide (f; KAB); Tonic (f; KAB); Vermifuge (f; WBB); Vulnerary (f; KAB).

Indications (Bottle Gourd):
Acne (f; LMP); Alopecia (f; WOI); Alzheimers (1; HAD); Asthma (f; KAB); Atherosclerosis (1; HAD); Biliousness (f; AB); Bleeding (1; FNF; HAD; KAB); Body Ache (f; DEM); Boil (f; DEM); Bronchosis (f; KAB); Cancer (1; HAD; JLH); Cardiopathy (f; JFM); Colic (f; LMP); Constipation (1; JFM); Corn (f; JLH); Cough (1; FNF; HAD; LMP); Delirium (f; WOI); Dermatosis (f; JFM); Diarrhea (1; FNF; HAD); Dropsy (f;
WOI); Dyskinesia (1; FNF; HAD); Dysuria (f; KAB); Fever (f; EFS; LMP); Gas (f; JFM); Gingivosis (f; LMP); Headache (f; DEM; JFM); High Cholesterol (1; HAD); Hepatosis (1; ABS); Inflammation (f; KAB); Insanity (f; DEM); Jaundice (f; SKJ); Leukorrhea (f; KAB); Malaria (f; KAB); Mange (f; JFM); Myalgia (f; KAB); Nephrosis (f; DAV); Ophthalmia (f; KAB); Otosis (f; KAB); Pain (f; DEM; KAB); Pregnancy (f; JFM); Rheumatism (f; WOI); Stone (f; EFS); Tapeworm (f; KAB); Toothache (f; LMP); Tumor (f; JLH); Typhoid (f; HAD); Typhus (f; LMP); Ulcer (1; FNF; HAD; KAB); Uterosis (f; KAB); Vaginosis (f; KAB); Water Retention (f; EFS); Worm (f; WBB).

Dosages (Bottle Gourd):
Young leaves and fruits, cooked, could or maybe even should be one of our five daily fruits and vegetables (100-g servings).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Bottle Gourd):
Not covered (AHP; CAN; KOM; LAF; PHR). Processed fruits, leaves, and flowers eaten on many continents, but still reported as potentially toxic, especially green fruits. Fruit flesh fed to rabbits, leads to restlessness and dyspnea, with paralysis and death from asphyxia (WBB). Leaves contain 1300
ppm steroidal steroids (ZMB) (JFM). At levels of 250 mg/kg, various extracts, including the ethanol extract of the fruits, exhibited liver-protecting properties (Shirwaikar & Sreenivasan, Coll. Pharm. Sci., 1996).