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Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Schrad.

Botanical Name

Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Schrad.

English Name

Bitter Apple. Bitter Cucumber and Colocynth

Synonym(s)

Colocynthis vulgaris Schrad. Cucumis colocynthis. Linn.

Family

Cucurbitaceae

General Info

Description

A scabrid perennial with prostrate or climbing angular stems and bifid tendrils. Leaves ovate or triangular, deeply 3-lobed, lobes sinuately pinnatifid; flowers monoecious, yellow, solitary, axillary; pepo or gourd 4-10 cm in diam, smooth, globose, green mottled with yellow blotches, pulp bitter, spongy; seeds numerous, white or light brown.

Herb Effects

Hypoglycemic (plant) and laxative (fruit).

Links

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.
Botanical.com

Chemistry

Active Ingredients

Ascorbic acid, beta-sitosterol, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, citrulline, colocynthin, cucurbitacin-B, ferulic acid, quercitrin (fruit); citrullene, citrulluic acid and scitrullin (fruit juice); alpha-amyrin, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid (seed); anethole, anisaldehyde, benzyl-alcohol, citral, lauric acid, limonene, p-cymene (petiole); citronellal, citronellol, methyl-eugenol, oleanolic acid (plant)

Chemistry of Active Ingredients

Name

CAS#

IUPAC Name

Formula

Structure

Colocynthin

1398-78-3

[6-hydroxy-6-[16-hyd
roxy-4,4,9,13,14-pen
tamethyl-3,11-dioxo-
2-[3,4,5-t rihydrox
y-6-(hydroxymethyl)o
xan-2-yl]oxy-8,10,12
,15,16,17-hexahydro-
7H -cyclopenta[a]ph
enanthren-17-yl]-2-m
ethyl-5-oxo-hept-3-e
n-2-yl] acetat e

C₃₈H₅₄O₁₃

Ascorbic acid

Not Available

2-(1,2-dihydroxyethy
l)-4,5-dihydroxy-fur
an-3-one

C₆H₈O₆

beta-Sitosterol

5779-62-4

17-(5-ethyl-6-methyl
-heptan-2-yl)-10,13-
dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9
,11,12,14, 15,16,17
-dodecahydro-1H-cycl
openta[a]phenanthren
-3-ol

C₂₉H₅₀O

Caffeic acid

Not Available

3-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)prop-2-enoic acid

C₉H₈O₄

Chlorogenic acid

327-97-9

3-[3-(3,4-dihydroxyp
henyl)prop-2-enoylox
y]-1,4,5-trihydroxy-
cyclohexan e-1-carb
oxylic acid

C₁₆H₁₈O₉

Citrulline

627-77-0

2-amino-5-carbamoyla
mino-pentanoic acid

C₆H₁₃N₃O₃

Cucurbitacin B

Not Available

[6-(2,16-dihydroxy-4
,4,9,13,14-pentameth
yl-3,11-dioxo-2,7,8,
10,12,15,1 6,17-oct
ahydro-1H-cyclopenta
[a]phenanthren-17-yl
)-6-hydroxy-2-methyl
-5 -oxo-hept-3-en-2
-yl] acetate

C₃₂H₄₆O₈

Ferulic acid

24276-84-4

3-(4-hydroxy-3-metho
xy-phenyl)prop-2-eno
ic acid

C₁₀H₁₀O₄

Quercitrin

6151-25-3

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-
(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
methyl-oxa n-2-yl)o
xy-chromen-7-one

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₁

alpha-Amyrin

638-95-9

4,4,6a,6b,8a,11,12,1
4b-octamethyl-2,3,4a
,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,
12a,14,14a -tetrade
cahydro-1H-picen-3-o
l

C₃₀H₅₀O

Linoleic acid

8024-22-4

Octadeca-9,12-dienoi
c acid

C₁₈H₃₂O₂

Oleic acid

8046-01-3

octadec-9-enoic acid

C₁₈H₃₄O₂

Palmitic acid

66321-94-6

hexadecanoic acid

C₁₆H₃₂O₂

Stearic acid

82497-27-6

octadecanoic acid

C₁₈H₃₆O₂

Anethole

8022-08-0

1-methoxy-4-prop-1-e
nyl-benzene

C₁₀H₁₂O

Anisaldehyde

50984-52-6

4-methoxybenzaldehyd
e

C₈H₈O₂

Benzyl alcohol

185532-71-2

phenylmethanol

C₇H₈O

Citral

96680-15-8

3,7-dimethylocta-2,6
-dienal

C₁₀H₁₆O

Lauric acid

8045-27-0

Dodecanoic acid

C₁₂H₂₄O₂

Limonene

9003-73-0

1-methyl-4-prop-1-en
-2-yl-cyclohexene

C₁₀H₁₆

p-Cymene

Not Available

Dichlororuthenium;
1-methyl-5,6-dihydro
-4H-pyrimidine;
p-cymene

C₁₅H₂₄C_l2N₂Ru

Citronellal

26489-02-1

3,7-dimethyloct-6-en
al

C₁₀H₁₈O

Citronellol

26489-01-0

3,7-dimethyloct-6-en
-1-ol

C₁₀H₂₀O

Oleanolic acid

508-02-1

10-hydroxy-2,2,6a,6b
,9,9,12a-heptamethyl
-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a
,10,11,12, 13,14b-t
etradecahydropicene-
4a-carboxylic acid

C₃₀H₄₈O₃

Pharmacology

Medicinal Use

Rheumatism, urinary disorders and jaundice (root); for constipation, amenorrhea and dropsy (Colocynth pulp which is freed from seeds); Diabetes (plant).

Reference

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.

Bentley and Trimen, Medicinal Plants.

Johnson T. CRC Ethnobotany Desk Reference (www.herbweb.com/herbage).

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