Momordica cymbalaria, Cucurbitaceae

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 7 min read

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For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

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Article Summary

Momordica cymbalaria belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and originated in tropical regions of India and Southeast Asia. It is regarded as an underutilized vegetable crop. It is not cultivated commercially due to a lack of planting materials. It is an abundant source of fiber, vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, and iron content. It possesses medicinal properties such as hepatoprotective, anti-diarrhea, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anti-allergic activity. It is a climbing...

Key Takeaways

This article explains Momordica cymbalaria Scientific Classification in simple medical language.
This article explains Nutritional value of Momordica cymbalaria in simple medical language.
This article explains Health Benefits of Momordica cymbalaria in simple medical language.
This article explains Traditional uses in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

It is a climbing annual and perennial herb having scandent, slender, striate, and branched stems. Leaves are deeply cordate at the base, orbicular-reniform in outline, and are obtusely lobed having five to seven lobes. Fruits measure 20 to 25 mm long and is pyriform having 8 sharp ridges and with base narrowed into curved peduncle which is dark green, fleshy, and ribbed. Seeds are shiny, smooth, ovoid-shaped, and is about 4.6 mm long. The male flower is filiform, ebracteate, puberulous, about 5-30 mm long with pale yellow corolla and two stamens. The female flower is solitary on a peduncle of 28 mm in length. Roots are perennial, woody, and tuberous.

Name	Momordica cymbalaria
Plant Size	Climbing annual or perennial herb
Root	Woody, tuberous and perennial
Stem	Slender, scandent, striate, branched
Flower	White to yellow
Fruit shape & size	20-25 mm long
Fruit color	Green
Seed	4.6 mm long, ovoid shaped, black, smooth and shiny

Momordica cymbalaria Scientific Classification

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Superdivision	Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
Division	Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Order	Cucurbitales
Family	Cucumber family
Genus	Momordica
Species	Cymbalaria Hoof
Synonyms	Momordica tuberosa Roxb.Cogn. Luffa tuberose Roxb

Nutritional value of Momordica cymbalaria

Serving Size:100 g

Calories 3 Kcal.

Proximity	Amount	% DV
Water	84.3 g	N/D
Energy	3 Kcal	N/D
Protein	2.15 g	4.30%
Carbohydrate	12.6 g	9.69%
Total dietary Fiber	6.42 g	16.89%

Minerals	Amount	% DV
Calcium, Ca	72000 mg	7200.00%
Iron, Fe	1700 mg	21250.00%
Phosphorus, P	460 mg	65.71%
Potassium, K	500000 mg	10638.30%
Sodium, Na	40000 mg	2666.67%
Zinc, Zn	2820 mg	25636.36%
Copper, Cu	180 mg	20000.00%
Manganese, Mn	320 mg	13913.04%

Vitamins	Amount	% DV
Water-soluble Vitamins
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	290000 mg	322222.22%
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Beta Carotene	10000 µg	N/D

Above mentioned Percent Daily Values (%DVs) are based on 2,000 calorie diet intake. Daily values (DVs) may be different depending upon your daily calorie needs. Mentioned values are recommended by a U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are not rxharun.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average age of 19 to 50 years and weighs 194 lbs. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/

Health Benefits of Momordica cymbalaria

Let’s discuss on the health benefits of Momordica cymbalaria:

Treatment for 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

Momordica cymbalaria possesses hypoglycaemic and anti-diabetic activity. The fruit powder possesses hypoglycaemic activity which was evaluated in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The treatment with fruit powder at 0.25 g/kg of body weight for 15 days showed a significant reduction in the levels of blood glucose of diabetic rats. Also, the improvement was seen in body weights. The fruit powder lowered the anti-diabetic effect in diabetic rats by a mechanism than stimulation of insulin release from the cells. It enhanced the rate of glycogenesis which is indicated by high amounts of hepatic glycogen in the diabetic treated group.

Cardioprotective properties

Momordica cymbalaria prevents alterations in marker enzymes of myocardial infection and oxidative stress with uric acid. Myofibrillar and monocytosis degeneration are reported in isoproterenol-treated rats. M. cymbalaria displayed normal myofibrillar structure with striations and exhibited marked protection by an extract against myocardial necrotic damage. Rats pretreated with M. cymbalaria demonstrated normal myofibrillar structures with striations and showed as marked protection by an extract against myocardial necrotic damage. Isoproterenol increases LDL cholesterol and decreased HDL cholesterol levels in the serum which increases the chances of myocardial infarction.

Prevent diarrhea

It is reported that methanol extract of fruit shows anti-diarrheal activity against castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats. The extract resembles the similar activity of diphenoxylate, an anti-diarrheal drug when tested at 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg and lower the frequency of defecation and wetness of fecal droppings in comparison to untreated control rats.

Prevent microbes

Momordica cymbalaria has chloroform, petroleum ether, aqueous, and ethanol extracts which inhibit the effect of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Aspergillus niger, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in comparison to standard antibiotics. It indicates that it is effective to prevent these organisms.

Cancer prevention

The aerial parts of Momordica cymbalaria have methanol extract that showed anticancer properties in comparison to standard cyclophosphamide against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma induced cancer in mice.

Traditional uses

Fruits are considered to be stimulant, stomachic, tonic, alterative, and laxative.
Fruits are used to treat rheumatism, gout, and sub-acute cases of liver disease and spleen.
It is used for colic, malaria, 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, infections, wounds, parasites, and worms.
Leaf juice, fruit pulp, and seeds encompass anti-helmet activity.
Since ancient times, it is used to cure various ailments such as stomach aches and mouth ulcers.

Other facts

Generally, it is propagated through tuberous roots.

References

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

Write when the problem started and how it changed.
Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
Basic physical examination by a clinician
CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Avoid heavy lifting, sudden bending, and prolonged bed rest.
Use comfortable posture and gentle movement as tolerated.
Discuss physiotherapy, X-ray, or MRI only when clinically needed.

OTC medicine safety

For mild back pain, pain-relief medicine may be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.
Avoid repeated painkiller use if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcer, uncontrolled blood pressure, or are taking blood thinners.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Back pain with leg weakness, numbness around private area, loss of urine/stool control, fever, cancer history, or major injury needs urgent care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider

Tests to discuss with doctor

Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.