Botanical Name: Mukia maderaspatana
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Cucurbitales
Genus: Mukia
Species: M. maderaspatana
Synonyms: Cucumis maderaspatanus L
Common Names: Marathi: Chirati, Bilavi.
Hindi: Aganaki, Agumaki, Bilari.
English: Madras pea pumpkin, Rough bryony.
Habiitat:Mukia maderaspatana is widespread throughout the tropics of Africa, through Asia to Australia. It grows on open, not forested, localities. Flood-plain and valley grasslands, riverine margins and damper places in woodland and wooded grasslands at elevations of 300 – 1,250 metres.
Description:
Mukia maderaspatana is an annual plant, trailing along the ground or scrambling into other plants where it supports itself by means of tendrils. It produces stems up to about 4 metres long.
The plant is often gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.
Cultivation:
Spacing Requirements: Create 12-inch diameter hills spaced 6 feet apart. Plant 6–8 seeds per hill. Seeds should be planted between ½” to one-inch deep. Time to Germination: Seeds will germinate in 4 to–7 days.
Propagation: Through seeds.
Medicinal Uses:
A decoction of young shoots and leaves is used as an aperient, especially for children, and is also taken to treat vertigo and biliousness. The sap is given to small children in the treatment of amoebiasis.
The leaf-sap is used as a wound-dressing. A poultice of the leaves is used in the treatment of burns. The dried, powdered leaves are dusted over scabies. The ash of the plant is mixed in castor oil and rubbed over scarifications and the temples to relieve for headache.
The seeds are diaphoretic. They are chewed to cause perspiration.
The fruit is used as a vermifuge.
The root is chewed to relieve facial neuralgia, toothache, etc. A decoction is used in the treatment of flatulence.
Known Hazards:
Grazing animals eat the leaves, but the fruit is believed to be deadly poisonous to cattle. In India cattle are said to like the plant but that the fruits destroy their eyes.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukia_maderaspatana#:~:text=Mukia%20maderaspatana%20is%20a%20species,found%20throughout%20Indomalaya%20and%20Meganesia.
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cucumis+maderaspatanus&redir=Mukia+maderaspatana
