Habitat: Cultivated throughout India particularly in South India.
English: Snake-Gourd.Ayurvedic: Dadhipushpi, Chichin- da, Shvetaraaji, Ahiphala.Siddha/Tamil: Pudal.Folk: Chichindaa, Chichendaa.Action: Root and seed—antibilious, vermifuge, antidiarrhoeal. Fruits— improve appetite, cure biliousness.
Alpha-, beta-, gamma-carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, hen- triacontane, ceryl alcohol, quercetin, alpha-amyrin, taraxerone, oxalic acid, surcose, and beta-sitosterol have been isolated from the fruit. The seed gave kaempferol, its 3-O-glucoside and quercetin.The plant gave cucurbita-5,24- dienol, 24-ethylcholesta-7-enol, 24- ethylcholesta-7, 22-dienol.