Pharmacognostical, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Natural Remedy Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standly: A Review

Herbal medicines are the promising choice over modern synthetic drugs because they show minimum/no side effects and are considered to be safe for human being. Bottle gourd or Lauki or Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standly is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family like melon, squash and cucumber. Lagenaria siceraria has been used in different system of traditional medication for the treatment of diseases and ailments of human beings. This vegetable is very high in water content and very low in calories. The seeds also have a cooling effect on the body and they are used in headache and constipation. Several bioactive compounds have been isolated from Lagenaria siceraria including triterpenoids, sterols, cucurbitacins, flavones, C-glycosides and β-glycosides. The edible portion contains thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid as a vitamins source. It is used as medicine in India, China, Africa, Brazil and European countries for its cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, diuretic, antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities. In this review, an attempt has been made to explore the current phytochemical and pharmacological knowledge about this well known plant species as well as several promising aspects for research on Lagenaria siceraria.