Botanical name : Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn.
Family : Cucurbitaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Svadupatola, Chichinda
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa    : Madhura, Tikta
Guna   : Guru
Virya   : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English  : Snake gourd
Hindi  : Caccinda, Paraval
Malayalam : Patavalam, Patavalanga, Patolam. 
Distribution – Throughout India, cultivated. 
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An annual soft stemmed tendril climber. Leaves simple, lobed, membranous cordate and thin. Flowers white, unisexual, males in axillary racemes, and female solitary and axillary. Fruits long sometimes curved, pale green with white streaks, containing many hard yellowish brown seeds in it.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, constipation, skin diseases, burning sensation, diabetes, anorexia, flatulence, constipation, worm infestation, fever and general weakness.
Useful part : Fruit, Stem, Root.