Trichosanthes cucumerina L.

• Family: Cucurbitaceae
• Vernacular names: Kattupadavalam, Kayappanpadavalam, കാട്ടുപടവലം, കായ്പ്പൻപടവലം (Malayalam), Snake gourd (English), Panjura, Pratika (Sanskrit), Paraval (Hindi), Pudal, Kattupputal (Tamil)
• Distribution: Indo-Malesia
• Description: Tendrillate climbers. Leaves palmately 3-5 lobed. Flowers white, male in axillary racemes, female solitary. Fruits ovoid-fusiform, beaked, white-striped when young, yellow when ripe.
• Habit: Climbers/Lianas
• Habitat: Forest margins in semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
• Flowering & Fruiting: December-May

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• Parts used: Whole plant
• Properties & Uses: Cooling, anthelmintic, purgative and vermifuge. The whole plant is used in the treatment of diabetes. Roots are used in syphilis and verminosis. The fruits are used in burning sensation, constipation, diabetic fever, bronchitis and general weakness.
• Systems of Medicines: Ayurveda, Folk,
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