A REVIEW ON PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF BENINCASA HISPIDA

Benincasa hispida is a well-known plant and is cultivated throughout the plains of india and on the hills upto 1200 meter altitude. It is a popular vegetable crop widely used for nutritional and medicinal properties especially in asian countries. Benincasa hispida fruit has been valued as a nutritious vegetable as it provide a good source for natural sugars,organic acid, amino acid,vitamins and mineral elements. Phytochemical constituents of this plant are mannitol, triterpenoids, cucurbitin, β-sitosterin, flavanoids, glycosides, carotenes, vitamins and uronic acid. The pharmacological studies revealed that the plant exerted many pharmacological activities such as antiulcer, antihyperlipidemic, antihelmintic, antioxidant, neuropharmacological activity, diuretic activity. Keywords:  Benincasa hispida, antiulcer, diuretic, antihyperlipidemic, antihelminthic.