BOTANICAL NAME: Lagenaria vulgaris
FAMILY: Cucurbitaceae
CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:
Charaka- Vamana, Phalini
Sushruta- Urdhwabaga Hara
Bhavprakash- Shaka Varga
ENGLISH NAME: Bottle Gourd
COMMON NAME:
Hindi: Kasvi louki
Bengali: Titlau
Kannada: Sorekai, sorekayi
REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:
https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read
इक्ष्वाकुः कटुतुम्बी स्यात्सा तुम्बी च महाफला |
कटुतुम्बी हिमा हृद्या पित्तकासविषापहा |
तिक्ता कटुर्विपाके च वातपित्तज्वरान्तकृत् ||४९||
HABITAT: A large softly pubescent climbing or trailing herb with stout 5-angled stems; tendrils.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
Leaves often 15 cm, ovate or orbicular, 5-angular or 5-lobed, hairy on both surfaces; petiole long with 2 glands at the apex. Flowers are large, white, solitary, monoecious or dioceious the males long, the females short peduncled. Fruits are large, usually bottle or dumbbell ball-shaped, ultimately thick membranous or almost woody, indehiscent, polymorphous. Seeds many, 1.6-2cm. white, horizontal, compressed, with a marginal groove.
| RASA | GUNA | VEERYA | VIPAKA | PRABHAVA | DOSHGHNTA |
| Tikta, Katu. | Laghu, Rüksa. | Tiksna, Sita. | Katu | – | Kaphapittasamsodhana-samsamana |
AYURVEDIC ENERGETICS:
| TASTE | PROPERTY | POTENCY | POST DIGESTIVE EFFECT | EFFECT ACTION | DOSHA ACTION |
| Bitter, Pungent. | Light, dry | Strong, cold | Pungent | – | Kapha pitta pacifying |
MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Fresh fruit contains 90-96 percent water content. Dry fruit contains ether extract, albuminoid, carbohydrate, fibres, alkalies and saponin. Seeds contain a fixed oil.
THERAPEUTIC USES:
- Jaundice: Nasal drops are indicated of katutumbi leaves to treat jaundice.
- Leprosy: Medicated oil prepared from the leaves and roots of katutumbi plant is used for external application.
- Insect bite: Paste of leaves of plant is applied over the affected area.
- Intestinal worms: Decoction of the fruit and leaves in a dose of 15-20ml is given in empty stomach.
- Blood impurity: Decoction of leaves 20-25ml given internally.
INDICATIONS:
Käsa-Svasa respiratory disorder, Visa poisonous, Chardi vomiting, Jvara fever, Mürccha syncope, Raktavikára-sotha inflammation, Kustha leprosy.
USEFUL PART: Fruit, Seeds, Leaves.
DOSAGE: Juice: 8- 12 gms
AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:
Maha vishgarbha taila