Ecballium elaterium Health Dictionary

A. Rich.

Family: Cucurbitaceae.

The leaves, flowers and roots yield orientin, vitexin and their isoflavones.

Habitat: Mediterranean region and Western Asia.

English: Squirting Cucumber.

Ayurvedic: Kantaki Indravaaruni (non-classical).

Folk: Kateri Indryaayana, Kitran.

Action: Hydragogue; employed for the evacuation of dropsy, especially in nephritic patients. Root—used to treat skin diseases and parasitic scalp diseases; also for scirrhous eruptions.

Roots, leaves and fruits yield cucur- bitacins C, D, E, G, H and I. Fruit juice gave cucurbitacins B, L and R and their derivatives. Cucurbitacins (tetra- cyclic triterpene glycosides) are toxic constituents of the fruit.