Benincasa hispid, which is commonly called ash gourd, winter melon, winter gourd, wax gourd, etc. belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Native to Southeast Asia, it is an annual creeping vine with branched tendrils which climb structures, cover fences, or sprawl along the ground. Stems are coarse, thick, hairy. Leaves are large, roughly textured, and 5-lobed about 4-10 inches long. Flowers are golden yellow, 3 ½ inches wide in leaf axils in early summer. Flowers are followed by oblong to nearly spherical melon-like fruits. Young fruits are covered with soft down that disappears as the fruits mature. The flesh is white, crisp, and juicy. Young fruits are perishable and used the same way as summer squash. It may be peeled, shredded, or cut into chunks for baking, sautéing, and adding to soups. Typically hairy cucumber ranges from 5-20 pounds and it has rounded to cylindrical shapes and in ideal conditions, it could grow larger to 25-50 pounds and 4-6 feet long.

The origin of this variety is uncertain but Indo-China and China are deemed to be the center of the greatest diversity. Since 500 AD, it is cultivated widely in Southeast Asia. Probably, it is endemic to Japan and Java and cultivated more/less throughout warm countries. This popular crop was widely used for nutritional as well as medicinal purposes. It is an important sub-tropical and tropical cucurbitaceous vegetable grown in India, China, the Philippines, and some parts of Asia.

It prefers rich and well-drained soil with ample moisture in the growing season. It grows well in a warm and sunny position and it also tolerates drought. It requires pH in the range of 5.8 to 6.8 and is also grown best in the greenhouse.  The plants perform well when they get the stable temperatures in excess of 25 degrees Celsius. The female flower develops with short day length and low temperature and on the other hand, it requires higher temperatures to stimulate male flower production. Seeds become mature in the duration of 5 months to produce a mature crop.

Facts About Hairy Cucumber

Plant description

The fuzzy gourd is an annual climber with trifid tendrils. Leaf lamina is deeply lobed, dentate, and softly hispid on 15-20 cm long. Flowers are bright yellow and 6-12 cm across. Fruit is green to dark green, oblong cylindrical, clavate, or dumbbell-shaped about 15–23 cm long by 5–10 cm across. The flesh is white. The plant is a monoecious vine type that bears large green fruits. Fruits have white or yellowish-white seeds. The color of the seed changes from white to yellowish-brown.

Stem

The stem is much branched, thick, 5-sided, furrowed, and covered with sharp bristles. Tendrils (split at 3 cm into 2 to 3) each 15 cm, slender and rarely simple. It sprawls over the ground or climbs like a pumpkin.

Leaves

Leaves are large, roundish, kidney-shaped and the base is deeply heart-shaped. The upper surface is rough and the lower surface is shortly bristly with a blade 10-25 cm long and as much broad.

Flowers

Flowers are solitary, yellow, flat-faced and sexes are separate. Male flowers are 5-15 m long with 3 stamens of 1 cm length. Female flowers are 2-4 cm long and style divided into three. Petals are spreading, blunt, and ending in short points.

Fruit

Fruits are spherical, hairy and fuzzy, and ripen dark green with white wax and the outer layer is hard. The skin color of immature fruits is light or dark green to purple-blue. The flesh is white and the fruit is covered with downy hairs.

Seeds

Seeds are flat, numerous, ovate-elliptic, 10-15 mm × 5-7 mm × 1-2 mm, and yellow-brown.

Health benefits of Hairy Cucumber

1. Antiulcer activity

A study was conducted to determine the healing of ulcers induced by indomethacin due to the antioxidant activity of fruit extract of Hairy Cucumber on ulcers in rats. There was an increase in SOD in RBC and homogenate levels and Vitamin C in plasma. In animals, there was an apparent decrease in ulcer? index treated with fruit extract. It contains certain active principles such as flavonoid C- glycosides and sterols, terpenes. It inhibits gastric mucosal injury by scavenging free radicals and repressing the production of SOD and Vitamin C.

2. Antidiarrheal activity

Studies suggest that Benincasa hispida fruit extract in graded doses lowered diarrhea? by inhibiting intestinal peristalsis, PGE2-induced enter polling, and gastrointestinal motility. BHFE, on preliminary studies claimed it as a potential antidiarrheal agent, an underlying mechanism that appears to be spasmolytic and anti-enter polling property by which fruit and its extract provide relief from diarrhea.

3. Anticompulsive activity

Methanolic extract of Hairy Cucumber fruit exhibited an anti-compulsive effect in mice by inhibiting marble-burying behavior and it was comparable to that of fluoxetine. Its anti-compulsive effect was observed that sub-effective dose of MEBH potentiated the effect of sub-effective dose of fluoxetine and exhibited the significant inhibition of marble-burying behavior. Phytochemical studies revealed that the presence of tryptophan in the extract is an important precursor of serotonin in serotonergic neurons and enhances the biosynthesis of serotonin to facilitate the anticompulsive effect of MEBH.

4. Antidepressant activity

Methanol extract of Benincasa hispida fruit has an antidepressant activity which was evaluated using a modified forced swim test. In the forced swim test, MEBH showed a significant reduction in immobility.

5. Anti-angiogenic activity

A study was conducted to evaluate the anti-angiogenic effect of seed extract of Hairy Cucumber. The study showed that seed extract of Hairy Cucumber reduced bFGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation and tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. Results also showed that seed extract inhibits the proliferation of endothelial cells persuaded by bFGF which explains anti-angiogenic properties.

6. Antioxidant role

Antioxidant has a crucial role in managing neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. The study conducted with aqueous pulp extract showed that chronic? treatment with BH pulp extract increased the number of correct choices in the radial Y arm maze. The study showed the antioxidant properties of BH extract for managing colchicine induced rat model of Alzheimer’s disease.

7. Gastroprotective activity

The study found the gastroprotective effect of methanol extracts and petroleum ether of Hairy Cucumber. These extracts caused a significant reduction in ulcer? index in rats and results are comparable with the omeprazole treated group. The gastroprotective activity lowers reduction in vascular permeability, lipid peroxidation, free radical generation with the strengthening of the mucosal barrier.

8. Renoprotective activity

Renal? ischemia?-induced oxidative stress is related to impaired kidney function which leads to a marked increase in serum creatinine?, uric acid levels, and urea. Hairy Cucumber prevents the kidneys from severe attenuation of antioxidant enzyme activity in rats. It improved the impaired kidney function.

9. Nootropic activity

A study was carried out to investigate cognitive function by enhancing the effect of methanol extract of Hairy Cucumber fruit. MEBH produced a significant reduction in the number of entries and an increase in the percentage of alteration. It can be concluded that MEBH exhibits a prominent nootropic effect and antiamnesic effect in both models of memory.

10. Hypochlorhydria

Hypochlorhydria is a risk factor for gastric carcinoma, anemia?, and Helicobacter pylori infection?. In the study, hypochlorhydria was induced by ranitidine, a histamine receptor antagonist. The study evaluated the protective effect of pre-administration. The herbal extracts recovered the gastric secretion and provide satisfactory results in Vitamin C concentration in gastric juice.

Traditional uses

• It is medicinally used to treat various complaints such as respiratory disease, gastrointestinal problems, insulin? is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।" data-rx-term="diabetes" data-rx-definition="Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar stays too high because insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।">diabetes? mellitus, heart disease, and urinary disease.
• Traditionally fruits are used as laxative, tonic, diuretic, cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, blood disease, urinary calculi, epilepsy, insanity, schizophrenia, other psychologic disorders dyspepsia, jaundice?, menstrual disorders, and fever?.
• Fruits are used to cure urinary infections, renal? diseases, and biliousness.
• Apply the ashes of rind to painful wounds.
• Seeds act as infection?, or irritation, often causing pain?, swelling?, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation?, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।" data-rx-term="anti-inflammatory" data-rx-definition="Anti-inflammatory means reducing inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।">anti-inflammatory?, anthelmintic, diuretic, demulcent, laxative, febrifuge, expectorant, and tonic.
• Use the decoction internally for treating vaginal discharges and coughs.
• Fruit is an aphrodisiac, antiperiodic, tonic, laxative and diuretic.
• It is used for treating epilepsy, asthma, lung diseases, and coughs in Ayurvedic medicine.
• Use the fruit juice for treating insanity, nervous diseases, and epilepsy.
• A root infusion is used for treating gonorrhea.
• Take it internally for urinary dysfunction and summer fevers.
• Seeds are used in Ayurvedic medicine for fevers, coughs, excessive thirst, and expel tapeworms.
• Fruit juice is effective for snakebites and mercury poisoning.
• Use the fruit as a mouth gargle for mouth cancer and to protect teeth and gums or bleeding gums.
• It helps to reduce pitta and heat in the body, lower eye infection?, or irritation, often causing pain?, swelling?, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation?, redness and strengthen teeth and gums, and also treatment for acidity.
• It provides relief from tiredness, itching, lethargy, pains, and aches.
• It also lowers burning sensations in the soles and palms.
• It stabilizes nerve cells and combats general debility.
• The juice has cooling properties which help in treating peptic ulcers.
• Seeds promote the growth of tissues.
• For anemia? and debility, take fruits, grind them and add sugar according to the taste. Take 1 tablespoon twice a day.
• For dandruff and baldness, crush the seeds and boil two tablespoons of powder in one cup coconut oil till it turns red. tendon?. সহজ বাংলা: মাংসপেশি/টেনডনে টান।" data-rx-term="strain" data-rx-definition="A strain is injury to a muscle or tendon. সহজ বাংলা: মাংসপেশি/টেনডনে টান।">Strain? it and apply it to the scalp regularly.
• To eliminate tapeworms, fry one tablespoon of seeds in ghee and consume it regularly.
• To treat ulcers, wash the fruits properly, peel them, and cut them. Discard seeds. Boil them and squeeze then add an equal quantity of water. Add a little salt and drink it twice a day.
• For internal bleeding, take gourds, eliminate skin and cut it into pieces. Boil them with sufficient water, squeeze it and take it with one tablespoon of Indian Gooseberry juice.

Culinary uses

• Fruit is sliced and used in stews, soups, stir-fry on its own or with meat, fish and other vegetables.
• Stuff the gourd with meat, shrimps, and mushrooms and steam it in a pot or fried.
• In the Taiwanese recipe, it is shredded and fried with chilies.
• Mature fruits are candied with sugar and can be dried for later use.
• Young shoots, flowers, and leaves are consumed as vegetables.
• Fruits are also pickled.
• In Vietnamese cuisine, it is used to make soups and stews.
• In South Indian cuisine, it is used to make curries with a yogurt base.
• In Nepal, it is cooked as a vegetable when young.
• Leaves, tendrils, and shoots are consumed as greens.

References