508 | P a g e International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 International Journal of Universal Pharmacy and Bio Sciences 3(3): May-June 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UNIVERSAL PHARMACY AND BIO SCIENCES IMPACT FACTOR 1.89*** ICV 5.13*** Pharmaceutical Sciences REVIEW ARTICLE……!!!

A REVIEW ON PHARMACEUTICAL PROPERTIES OF ANGURIA N.S Gill*1, Anish Mahajan1, Rashmi Arora1 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 1Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, Railmajra, SBS Nagar, Punjab, India ABSTRACT KEYWORDS: Cucumis anguria is a crop that belongs to the family

Cucumis anguria, . This review is aimed to describe the whole profile Antimicrobial activity, of Cucumis anguria including its Taxonomical Classification, Antioxidant activity, Distribution, traditional uses. Its Pharmaceutical properties are well DPPH. For Correspondence: mentioned here. Antimicrobial activity is well analyzed by Agar well N.S Gill* diffusion method. Ethanol, Chloroform, Methanol, Ethyl acetate Address: Department of extracts of Cucumis anguria are used for this study. Among the 4 Pharmaceutical extracts the ethanolic extract is found to posses higher activity Chemistry, Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, against both bacteria and fungi. Its antioxidant activity is checked by

Railmajra, SBS Nagar, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. DPPH gives a strong Punjab, India. absorption at 517 nm and is used widely to test the ability of Email: [email protected] compounds to act as free radical scavengers or hydrogen donors. The m purple colour of the DPPH get changed from purple to yellow when

sprayed on the Developed TLC plates of the Cucumis anguria extract.

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INTRODUCTION: -based traditional medicine system continues to play an important role in health care, with about 80% of the world’s population relying mainly on traditional medicines for their primary health care [1] Medicinal plants have been used traditionally for treatment of numerous human diseases for thousands of years and in many parts of the world. About 80% of the people in developing countries are using traditional medicines for their health. Recently at least 119 chemicals derived from 90 plant species can be considered as most important drugs in one or more countries. [2] Due to the adverse effects related to synthetic drugs researchers are currently paying attention towards utilization of eco-friendly and bio friendly plant-based products for the prevention and treatment of different human diseases. [3] Herbal drugs are having an advantage over synthetically derived compounds based on their long-term use significantly due to their low human toxicity. Cucurbitaceae is classified into two sub-families: Zanonioideae and Cucurbitoideae. The sub- family Cucurbitoideae consists of the food producing plants. Plants belonging to Cucurbitaceae family are as follows: Cucumis sativus () Also known as Cucumber. It is a herbaceous annual vegetable/fruit and belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae. It is used to prepare an ointment for external applications, useful in jaundice, headache, insomnia, urine related problem, epitasis, haemorrhage and general body weakness. [4] Cucurbita pepo (Pumpkin) It is a gourd-like squash belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. Due to Presence of both antioxidants and D-chiro-inositol it has protective effect. [5] Momordica charantia (Karela) Also known as bitter gourd. Its other names are balsam of and karela. [6] Cucurbita ficifolia (chilacayote) It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Its seeds are having hepatoprotective, vermifuge, anticancerogenic agent, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Luffa cylindrical (sponge gourd) It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Also known as sponge gourd, bath sponge or dish cloth gourd. Its seeds are helpful in the treatment of fever, asthma, and sinusitis. [7] Benincas hispida (wax gourd) It belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. Also known as wax gourd or ash gourd, Kushmanda, Bhuru Kolu, Petha, White pumpkin. It has been used traditionally as a laxative, tonic, diuretic, cardiotonic,

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aphrodisiac, urinary calculi, blood disease and epilepsy. Also useful in case of jaundice, dyspepsia, fever and menstrual disorders. [8] Coccinia cardifolia (Ivy gourd) It belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. It posses antimicrobial activity and can also be used to treat cough. Cucumis melo (Muskmelon) It belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. It is mainly cultivated mainly in India and tropical . [9] Seeds of this plant are traditionally used as vermifuge, febrifuge, antitussive, digestive and Cucumis melo seeds extract can be used as an antidiabetic. [10] Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. It is mainly distributed in the Kalahari and sahara deserts in Africa. Its seeds are having diuretic, tonic, demulcent, pectoral, vermifuge and hypotensive action, antihelmintic. PLANT PROFILE It belongs to the genus cucumis of the family cucurbitaceae. Cucurbitaceae family includes about 120 genera and 825 species. [11] Cucurbitaceae is classified into two sub-families: Zanonioideae and Cucurbitoideae. The sub-family Cucurbitoideae consists of the food producing plants. Other names Burr gherkin, West Indian gherkin Distribution Cucurbitaceae family plants are distributed mainly in tropical and sub-tropical regions. About 137 species in 28 genera are found in east of Africa and 84 species in 24 genera are reported in Kenya. [12]

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TABLE 1: TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom Plantae

Subkingdom Tracheobionta

Superdivision Spermatophyta

Division Magnoliophyta –Flowering plants Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Violales Family Cucurbitaceae – Cucumber family Genus CucumisL. – melon Species Cucumis anguriaL. – West Indian gherkin

Traditional uses 1.  The fruit is used as a pickle.  Its Fruits are used as table vegetable, also used in soups and stews. These are cooked as the main ingredient in a traditional soup called maxixada in .  Its fruits are eaten as boiled, fried, stewed, pickled, fresh in salads and also used in hamburgers.  The fruit extract of Cucumis anguria is useful in treating jaundice if ingested.  It is supposed to dissolve kidney stones.  The fruits are useful in treating haemorrhoids in . 2. Seeds  Its seeds are found to posses vermifuge activity (able to destroy or expel intestinal worms; an anthelmintic. PHARMACEUTICAL PROPERTIES a. Antimicrobial activity An Antibacterial is a substance that acts by killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Antibacterial and antifungal activity was studied by Agar well diffusion method. [13] It was concluded that the fruit ethanolic extract of Cucumis anguria shows stronger antimicrobial activity than its methanolic, Chloroform, ethyl acetate extracts. b. Antioxidant activity An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits the oxidation of other molecule. It acts by neutralizing excess of free radicals and thus they are very useful in overcoming various diseases caused by free

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radicals and are able to delay or prevent the oxidation of lipids or other bio molecules by preventing or repairing the damage of the body cells that is caused by free radicals [14]. Qualitative Evaluation of DPPH Free Radical Scavenging activity An antioxidant constituents were analyzed using TLC technique followed by the use of DPPH (2,2- Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). The plates were then developed in the suitable solvent (Methanol: Chloroform: Hexane) in the ratio of 7:2:1 to separate the various constituents present in the extract. The developed plates were air dried and observed under UV and visible light. The Rf values were noted. After Rf values examination 0.005% solution of DPPH in Methanol was sprayed on the developed TLC Plates and incubated for 10 min at room temperature. The spots due to active antioxidant constituents of Cucumis anguria on the TLC plates got yellowish in colour due to bleaching of DPPH. [15] (Dzomba P, Mupa M. Wild Cucumis anguria leaves: phytochemical profile and antioxidant capacity.Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 2012; 1: 1-5) CONCLUSION In conclusion, the present review article on pharmaceutical properties of Cucumis anguria showed that this herb is one of the important sources of antioxidants and antimicrobial bioactive molecules. These could be used as a natural preservative and in nutraceutical formulations to overcome the adverse effects of synthetic compounds. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to thank the guide or Director Dr. N.S Gill, Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, Railmajra, SBS Nagar, Pb (India). REFERENCES 1. Bernath J, Foldesi D.J, (1992), Seabuckthorn: a promising new medicinal and food crop. Journal of Medicinal plant Herbs, Spices Med. Plant, 1(1): 27-35. 2. Arvigo R, Balick M, (1993), Rainforest Remedies: Lotus Press Twin lakes. 3. Gijtenbeek J.M, Vanden M.J and Vecht C.J, (1999), Cyclosporine neurotoxicity. Journal of Neurology, 246: 339-346. 4. Grieve M, (1931), Medicinal, Culinary, cosmetic and economic properties, cultivation and folk lore of herbs. A Modern Herbal, 1(1): 564-590. 5. Tammy R, (2008), Effect of different dose of Cucurbita pepo. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 46: 639-645. 6. Krishnaiah D, Sarbalty R and Nityanandan R, (2010), A review of the antioxidant potential of medicinal plant species. Food and bio-product processing, 89: 217-233.

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7. Stephenes J.M, Gourd Luffa, (2003), A Review on Luffa cylindrical, Luffa aegyptica, Luffa acutangula. Journal of Horticulture Science, 3: 19-21. 8. Kirtikar K.R, Basu B.D, (1988), Indian Medicinal Plants. International Book Distributors, Dehradun. 9. Gene E, Lester L, John L, Jifon M, Kevin M, (2009), Crosby Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Mesocarp Tissue from Divergent Cucumis melo L. Genotypes Plant Foods. Hum. Nutr, 64: 205-211. 10. Tapati H, Gadgil V.N, (1984), Comparison of fatty acid patterns in plant parts and respective callus cultures of Cucumis melo. Phytochemistry, 23: 1790-1791. 11. Schaefer H, Renner S.S, (2011), Phylogenetic Relationships in the Order and a New Classification of the Gourd Family (Cucurbitaceae). Taxon, 60(1): 122–138. 12. Jeffrey C.E, Redhead R.M, Polhill R.M, (1967), In flora of Tropical East Africa Crown. J. Nutr. Environ. Med, 1(1): 1-5. 13. Kumar Santhil, Kamaraj M, (2011), Antimicrobial activity of Cucumis anguria L by agar well diffusion method. Journal Botany Research International, 4(2):41-42. 14. Bland J.S, (1995), Oxidants and Antioxidants in clinical Medicine: Past, Present and future Potential. J. Nutr. Environ. Med, 5: 255-280. 15. Dzomba P, Mupa M, (2012), Wild Cucumis anguria leaves: phytochemical profile and antioxidant capacity. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 1: 1-5.

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