Citrullus colocynthis
Genus: Citrullus
Botanical name: Citrullus colocynthis
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Indravaruni, Mahendravaruni, Visala, Indrahva, Mrugadani, Gavadana, Kshudraphala, Gavakshi
Hindi: Makkal, Badi indrayan
English: Bitter Apple, Colocynth, Bitter cucumber, Egusi, Vine of Sodom
Malayalam: Pekkummatti, Valiya Kattuvellari
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Bitter Apple is an annual plant resembling the common watermelon. The stems are herbaceous and beset with rough hairs. Leaves, on long stalks, are alternately arranged. They are triangular, many time cut, variously undulating, blunt, hairy, a fine green on upper surface, rough and pale on the underside. Flowers are yellow, appearing singly at axils of leaves. Fruit is round, size of an orange, yellow and smooth, when ripe contains with in a hard leathery rind, a white spongy pulp enclosing numerous ovate compressed white or brownish seeds. This species is globally distributed from Africa, Mediterranean, except Spain, to Indo-Malesia. Within India, it is found wild in the warm, arid and sandy parts throughout, up to an altitude of 1500 m.
The root and froots of Bitter Apple is used for jaundice, worm infestation, tumours, skin diseases, bronchitis and asthma.