Botanical name : Luffa echinata Roxb.
Family : Cucurbitaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Devadaali, Devataadaka, Jimuuta, Garagari, Kothaphala, Kandaphala, Karkati, Saramooshika, Koshavrita, Romapatrika, Aakhuvishaha
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Katu
Guna : Lakhu
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka: Katu
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Bristly Luffa, Thorn gourd
Hindi : Bandaal
Malayalam : Mullan peechil, Devadali
Distribution : Throughout India in waste lands.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A spreading tendril climber grows over bushes and hedges. Leaves simple alternate, and the opposite leaf modified to form tendril, 3-5 lobed, serrated and pubescent. Flowers white, red or yellow, seen in axillary panicles, unisexual. Fruits spiny, slightly oblong, yellowish, contain many bitter tasting seeds, embedded in pulp.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated tridosha, skin diseases, inflammations, Hepato splenic affections, intestinal colic, epilepsy, sinusitis, hemorrhoids, edema, cough, bronchitis, Urinary retention, dysmenorrhoea, fever and using as a purgative and emetic drug in various diseases.
Useful part : Whole plant
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
The fruit contains chrysoeriol and its glycosides as principal flavonoids. Seeds contain cucurbitacin B, triterpene alcohols, and a saponin with oleanolic acid as sapogenin. The alcoholic and ether extracts of the plant showed protection against CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats. The aqueous extract of fruits is beneficial in jaundice as it significantly lowered serum bilirubin level in chlorpromazine-induced jaundice in rats and human patients. The ethanolic extract (50%) of the plant exhibited hypoglycaemic activity. The yellow-flowered var. of Devadaali (Eastern Himalayas, Sikkim, Bihar, Bengal) is equated with Luffa graveolens Roxb.
Dosage _ Fruit—1–3 g powder. (CCRAS.)
Photo taken by : Dinesh Valke
Mainscreen >
D > DEVADALI
Future of Ayurveda - Malayalam
Properties 