| |
|
|
Botanical Name |
: |
Luffa echinata Roxb. |
English
Name |
: |
Luffa |
Family |
: |
Cucurbitaceae |
| |
General Info
| Description |
 |
|
A climber with a slender, slightly hairy, furrowed stem and 2-fid tendrils. Leaves orbicular reniform, obscurely 5-angled or more or less deeply 5-lobed; male peduncles normally paired, one being 1-flowered and the other a long raceme of 5-12 flowers at apex; female flower solitary; fruit oblong or globose, 3 cm. long, not ribbed, clothed with ciliate bristles; seeds many, 5 mm. long. |
| Herb Effects |
|
|
Hypoglycemic (aerial part), emetic and anthelmintic (plant); purgative (fruit) |
Chemistry
| Active Ingredients |
|
|
Chrysoeriol and its glycosides, luteolin, apigenin, echinatin and elaterin (fruit). |
| Chemistry
of Active Ingredients |
|
|
|
 |
Name |
CAS# |
IUPAC Name |
Formula |
Structure |
 |
|
| Chrysoeriol |
491-71-4 |
4,5-dihydroxy-2-(4-h
ydroxy-3-methoxy-phe
nyl)-chromen-7-one |
C16H12O6 |
|
| Luteolin |
Not Available |
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-ch
romen-7-one |
C15H10O6 |
|
| Apigenin |
520-36-5 |
4,5-dihydroxy-2-(4-h
ydroxyphenyl)-chrome
n-7-one |
C15H10O5 |
|
| Echinatin |
34221-41-5 |
(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-2-m
ethoxy-phenyl)-1-(4-
hydroxyphenyl)prop-2
-en-1-one |
C16H14O4 |
|
| Elaterin |
Not Available |
[(E)-6-[(8S,9R,13R,1
7R)-2,16-dihydroxy-4
,4,9,13,14-pentameth
yl-3,11-di
oxo-8,10
,12,15,16,17-hexahyd
ro-7H-cyclopenta[a]p
henanthren-17-yl]-6-
hy
droxy-2-methyl-5
-oxo-hept-3-en-2-yl]
acetate |
C32H44O8 |
|
|
Pharmacology
| Medicinal Use |
|
|
In jaundice, in phthisis, hiccough and as an anthelmintic (plant); for dropsy, nephritis, chronic bronchitis and lung complaints; biliary and intestinal colic; it is applied to the body in putrid fevers and jaundice (fruit infusion); in jaundice (aqueous extract of fruits) |
| Reference |
|
|
 Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.
Sharma, Classical Uses of Medicinal Plants. |
Dealers
Products
|
|
Return to top