Momordica dioica: A medicinal plant, its benefits and pharmacological activity

Abstract

Momordica dioica is a cucurbitaceous climbing creeper (commonly known as kakrol, spiny gourd or teasle gourd). It is native to Asia with widely distributed in India and Bangladesh also. It is used as preventive and curative agent for various diseases. It has also significant nutritional value as vegetable over thousands of years. This review aims to take an attempt to evaluate the pharmacological properties and benefits of Momordica dioica according to the view of traditional medicinal plant based on treatment including. Momordica dioica is considered as an underutilized vegetable, although having significant presence of certain compounds containing higher nutritional value than many frequently consumed vegetables. Different plant parts of Momordica dioica provide a numbers of phyto-constituents like alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, triterpenoids, flavonoids, ursolic acid, vitamins, minerals and rich in fibre. They have potential to cure asthma, excessive salivation and inflammation caused by lizards, snake bite, elephantiasis, fever, mental and digestive disorders. It is used to maintain skin health.