Trichosanthes tricuspidata - asian pharma press

Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2012; Vol. 2: Issue 1, Pg 26-28 [AJPTech.]
ISSN- 2231–5705 (Print) www.asianpharmaonline.org
ISSN- 2231–5713 (Online) 0974-3618
REVIEW ARTICLE
Trichosanthes tricuspidata: Exploration of Its Medicinal Value
Brijesh Kumar Duvey 1 *, Rohit Goyel 1 , Bharat Parashar 1 , Denesh Verma 1 , Hitesh Dhameja 1
Dharmesh Sharma 2
1 Department of Pharmacy, Manav Bharti University, Solan H.P.
2 Department of Pharmacology, Himachal Dental College,Sunder Nagar
*Corresponding Author E-mail: Brijesh.duvey@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
India, with its great biodiversity about 15% out of the 20,000 medicinal plants of the world, has a tremendous potential
and advantage in the emerging field of herbal medicines. Medicinal plants are the main sources of chemical substances
with potential therapeutic effects. A lot of compounds were characterized from plants which are now using in the
treatment of many diseases. The use of medicinal plants for the treatment of many diseases is associated with folk
medicine from different parts of the world. Naturally occurring compounds from plants, fungi and microbes are still
used in pharmaceutical preparations in pure or extracted forms about three hundred species are used by 7800 medicinal
drug manufacturing units in India which consume about 2000 tons of herbs annually. There are estimated to be more
than 717,319 registered practitioners of ayurveda, siddha, unani and homeopathy in India and in recent years, the
growing demand for herbal products has led to the extinction of many important herbs because the drugs have no or
very less side effect. Trichosanthes tricuspidata is a little-exploited plant with immense medicinal potential.
Considering its importance, more research is necessitated to explore the potential of this plant.
KEY WORDS: Trichosanthes tricuspidata, medicinal plant, trichosanthin, AIDS, antipyretic.
INTRODUCTION:
Ayurveda is conventional medicinal systems of Indian’s.
Now the whole world is interested in India’s ayurveda and
other traditional medicine systems. The demand of
medicinal plants is increasing day by day in both
developing as well as developed countries as a result of
recognition of the non-narcotic nature, lack of side effects
and easily availability of many herbal drugs. Most often the
medicinal plants are collected from the wild(1). There are
numerous data on the uses of medicinal plants. Gadgil and
Vartak (2) have reported the uses of such plants in India.
The therapeutic potential of various herbal plant have need
to be explore for its medicinal use. In this present paper we
have attempted to briefly summarize the information
available on the potency of Trichosanthes tricuspidata
because of its immense medicinal potential it is a very
important medicinal plant.(3)
Received on 27.01.2012 Accepted on 12.03.2012
© Asian Pharma Press All Right Reserved
Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2(1): Jan.-Mar. 2012; Page 26-28
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Classification of Trichosanthes tricaspidata
Kingdom Plantae
Family Cucurbitceae
Genus Trichosanthes
Species tricaspidata
Authority Roxb.
Synonym Trichosanthes palmate
Common Name Lal indrayn, redball snakegourd

Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2012; Vol. 2: Issue 1, Pg 26-28 [AJPTech.]
Habit
A large vigorous climber with tendrils. Its large, alternate
leaves are palmately divided into three to seven lobes so
called palmate, their petioles are reddish and stout. Its large
white flowers have beautiful hair-like fringed petals. The
fruit is a succulent, nearly globular gourd with a hard rind
initially green but turn in red; its diameter is about 5-8 cm.
Habitat
T. tricuspidata is a cucurbitacian which is found at an
elevation of 1200 to 2300 m. It ranges from Eastern
Himalayas in India and southern China through southern
Japan, Malaysia, and tropical Australia. In India it is a large
climber, often attaining a height of 9-10 meters. It has a
robust stem that is woody below, and has 3-cleft tendrils.
The leaves are variable, palmately 3-5 lobed with a cordate
base, and the lobes are ovate to oblong with serrate or
dentate margins. Male flowers are in axillary 5-10 flowered
racemes with large bracts, while the female flowers are
solitary. The corolla petals are wedge-shaped, fringed and
white in color. The fruits are globose, and when ripe are red
with ten orange streaks.
Uses
T. tricuspidata is very important medicinal plant in several
traditional systems. In ayurvedic medicines systems, the
fruits are used in the treatment of asthma, earache and
ozoena (intranasal crusting, atrophy and fetid odor). In the
Unani system of medicine, the fruits are used as a
carminative (an agent that relieves flatulence), a purgative,
and an abortifacient, to lessen inflammation, cure
migraines, and reduce heat of the brain, as a treatment for
opthalmia (inflammation of the eye), leprosy (infectious
disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae), epilepsy
(episodic impairment or loss of consciousness, abnormal
motor phenomenon) and rheumatism, (painful local
inflammation of joints and muscles) as well as other uses.
The seeds are emetic and a good purgative (4). The roots of
the plant are used to treat lung diseases in cattle and for the
treatment of diabetic carbuncles and headaches (5). Gaur
(6) has reported the use of this plant in curing bronchitis,
and the application of seed paste for hoof and mouth
disease in cattle.
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The vaidyas, or practictioners of ayurveda, also use the
fruits in treating stomatitis. The oil extracted from the roots
is used as a pain killer. In Bastar District, Chhattisgarh,
India, the plant is used for curing snakebite poisoning and
the juice of the plant is applied externally for skin eruptions.
In Nepal the roots are used to cure bleeding in chickens.
Chemical constituents
Mohamed (7) isolated a tetrahydroxy pentacyclic triterpene
“trichotetrol” from the root extract of T. tricuspidata. And
from the fruits of T. tricuspidata, 14 cucurbitane glycosides
were isolated (8). An extract of the fruits of this plant was
found to be cytotoxic in KB cells, and two new
cucurbitacins were tricuspidatin and 2-O-glucocucurbitacin
J also reported(9). Kaneda and Uchikoba (10) reported a
protease from the sarcocarp of the fruits of this plant. The
root contains methyl palmitate, palmitic acid, suberic acid,
-spinasterol, stigmast-7-en-3-beta-ol, -spinasterol 3-obeta-D-glucopyranoside,
stigmast-7-en-3-beta-ol-3-O-beta-
D-glucopyranoside, glyceryl 1-palmitate,glyceryl 1-stearate,
bryonolic acid, cucurbitacin B, isocucurbitacin B, 3-epiisocucurbitacin
B, 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D,
isocucurbitacin D and D-glucose. The roots of T.
tricuspidata contain more than 6 times more cucurbitacin
than the roots of T. kirilowii Maxim. Var. japonicum Kitam.
(11). Kasai et.al., (12) isolated 3 new cycloartane
glycosides, named cyclotricuspidosides A, B and C, from
the leaf and stem parts.
Medicinal use
According to Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their
Uses (Dorling Kindersley, London, 1995), recent research
has isolated a protein called 'trichosanthin' in the roots and
this is undergoing trials as a possible remedy for AIDS.
Antipyretic Antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, antifungal,
antiinflammatory, antitussive, cancer, emollient,
Expectorant, uterine tonic, oxytoic,galactogogue etc. The
fruit can inhibit Staphylococcus aureus, Diplococcus
pneumoniae, hemolytic streptococcus, Bacillus pyocyaneus,
Bacillus influenzae, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, B.
paratyphi, E. coli, pseudomonas, Vibrio cholerae, V.
proteus, etc. The fruit is traditionally prepared as a winter
soup to ward off colds and influenza. (13)
Ethanolic extract of Tricosanthes tricuspidata Linn have
antipyretic activity (12)
According to famous physician, “Clears obstruction of the
chest , making the human face look pleasant and lustrous.”
The Compendium of Material Medica “Moisturizing the
lungs, removing fire in the lungs, arresting coughing,
washing away phlegm stagnated in the chest, relieving sore
throat, curing diabetes, lubricating the large intestine and
healing skin and external diseases.”(15)
The Narration of Materia Medica : "Trichosanthes fruit
(Fructus Trichosanthis) is fluid, thick, fatty and moistening,
so it is an herb to deal with the stagnation of phlegm due to
heat and dryness. Therefore it is used for cold-phlegm,

Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2012; Vol. 2: Issue 1, Pg 26-28 [AJPTech.]
damp-phlegm, phlegm stagnated due to qi deficiency and
phlegm accumulated due to food stagnancy, all of which are
harmful with no benefit."(14)
CONCLUSION:
After the searching lot of literature and paper related to this
plant I have found that it have so much medicinal properties
like it may have anti-HIV activity, antibacterial,
anticholesterolemic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory,
antitussive, cancer, emollient, Expectorant, uterine tonic,
etc. except this, it also have antipyretic activity so more
research work is required to explore the medicinal value of
this plant.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
I would like to say thanks to Dr. S. P. Bhardwase (V.C.) of
Manav Bharti University, Solan H.P. who give us
continuous support and direction to write this review article,
I would also like to give my regards the library staff of
Manav Bharti University and Dr. Y S. Parmar University,
Nouni, H.P. who provided related information on this plant
and the last but not least Special thanks to Dr. Rajesh for
identification and authentication of the plant.
REFERENCES:
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medicinal plants sector in northern India: challenges and
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tetrahydroxy pentacyclic triterpene from Trichosanthes bracteata
(Cucurbitaceae). Linn.,Voight. Syn. T. palmata (Roxb.). Current
Science 43:116.
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www.ijrpbsonline.com
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(1999) Cycloartane glycosides from Trichosanthes tricuspidata.
Phytochemistry 51:803-808.
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13. http://www.e2121.com/herb_db/viewherb.php3?viewid=442ands
etlang=
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