A review on Pharmacognostical and Pharmacological activities of Lagenaria Siceraria species

The Cucurbitaceae family consists of about 735 species. The present study includes detailed aspects of species of Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley is a medicinal plant. The plant mainly contains carbohydrates, protein, fats and amino acids. The active constituent of Lagenaria is cucurbitacin, lagenin and various mineral matters. In most of the countries lagenaria has been used as antioxidant, cardiotonic, liver tonic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antihepatotoxic, antitumor, anti HIV, anti proliferative agent. Thus, lagenaria posses broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. Moreover, the entire plant and its parts like fruit, fruit pulp, seeds, epicarp etc. shows medicinally important properties. This review article focuses on the pharmacognostic, phytochemistry and pharmacological profile of Lagenaria.


Introduction
Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley is commonly known as bottle-gourd [1] . Lagenaria is a genus name derived from lagena, the Latin word used for Florence flask. The species name siceraria refers to the fruit which is useful when it is mature and dry (siccus). This plant grows mostly in tropical and subtropical countries [2] .The calabash was one of the first cultivated plants, grown not primarily for food, but for use as a water container [3] . Bottle gourd is used as vegetable and good source of vitamins B and C [4] .

Morphology
The morphological characters of lagenaria species is discussed below: Stem -The stem is prostrate or climbing in nature with angular, ribbed thick, brittle, softly hairy. Leaves -Leaves are simple with long petiole from 25-30 mm long thick, hallow, densely hairy with two small lateral glands located at the leaf base. Leaf lamina-The lamina of leaf is usually five lobed, broad cordate, pubescent with soft hairs and the tendrils are branched. The flowers are solitary axillary, pedicellate, unisexual and monoecious. Petals: Petals are mainly five, white or cream colored which opens in the evening. Fruits: Fruits are green in color which turns to yellow on maturity. Fruits are large densely hairy often cylindrical or flask shaped or globose. They are constricted at the middle. Pulp: Pulp is pale brown in color and the dried fruit has thick hard hollow structure. Seeds: Seeds are embedded in the spongy pulp and compressed with two flat facial ridges. (5)

Microscopic Characters
The transverse section of Lagenaria siceraria leaf showed following features: Upper epidermis: consists of elongated parenchymatous cells, covered by cuticle. Lower epidermis: contains elongated wavy walled parenchymatous cells covered by cuticle. Trichomes: Number of Covering and collapsed trichomes are present, while very few glandular trichomes are also present. Stomata: Upper epidermis shows few stomata, which are of anisocytic type. Palisade cells are present at upper and lower epidermis. Mesophyll: It is made up of 3-4 layered chloroplast containing, compactly arranged, oval to circular cells. Vascular bundles: They are surrounded by 2-3 layered sclerenchyma. They are conjoint, collateral and closed. Xylem is placed towards upper epidermis and phloem towards lower epidermis. (6) The microscopy of leaves of lagenaria is shown in figure 2 and 3.

Phytoconstituents
The chief phytoconstituents present in roots, leaves, fruits and seeds are carbohydrates, tannins, flavonoids, proteins, minerals, phytosterols, alkaloids etc. The list of phytoconstituents in various parts of Lagenaria siceraria is shown in table no. 1.

Chemical Structure of Some Phytoconstituents
The chemical structure of active constituents Cucurbitacin B, D and E, amino acids valine, Arginine, tyrosine and leucine present in lagenaria species is shown in figure 4.

Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of fruits of Lagenaria siceraria
Based on extensive literature survey, Lagenaria siceraria indicated the presence of various constituents which are shown in table no.2

Uses
The entire plant and various parts of Lagenaria siceraria species have medicinally important properties. These are discussed in table no.3.

Pharmacological Activities
As reported in literature, lagenaria species posses broad spectrum of biological activities. These activities are discussed as under:

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Lagenaria fruit juice extract were evaluated in rats and mice. The juice extract were investigated for its analgesic effect on acetic acid induced writhing and formalin pain tests in mice. Anti-inflammatory effects was studied employing acute inflammatory models, i.e., ethyl phenyl propionate induced ear edema, carrageenan and arachidonic acid induced hind paw edema, and also the albumin-induced paw edema in rats. (13)

Anti hyperlipidemic activity
Anti hyperlipidemic activity of the fruit extracts were investigated in triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats and hypolipidemic effect in normocholesteremic rats. Four different extracts viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, alcoholic, and aqueous extracts were prepared. Dose dependently oral administration of the extracts inhibited the total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins level, and significantly increased the high-density lipoproteins level. Both the chloroform and alcoholic extracts exhibited significant effects as compared to others. (13)

Diuretic activity
Diuretic activity of vacuum dried juice extract and methanol extract of the fruits was studied in albino rats. Different parameters such as total urine volume, urine concentration of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride were evaluated. Rats treated with methanol extract and vacuum dried juice extract (100 -200 mg/kg; p.o.) showed higher urine volume compared to control. Both juice and methanol extract exhibited dose-dependent increase in the excretion of electrolytes in comparison to controls. The elevated diuretic potentials of juice and methanol extract were compared to that of the standard diuretic agent furosemide (20 mg/kg; i.p.). (13)

Anthelmintic activity
Lagenaria seeds showed in vitro anthelmintic activity against Pheretima posthuma. According to the study, various concentrations (10 -100 mg/ml) of seed extracts were tested in the bioassay, which involved determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. Piperazine citrate (10 mg/ml) was used as standard reference and distilled water as control. All the extracts, those using methanol and benzene showed significant paralysis, and also caused death of worms especially at the higher concentration of 100 mg/ml, compared to standard. (13)

Antihepatotoxic activity
Antihepatotoxic activity of different fractions of the ethanolic extract of the fruit was investigated by oral administration to different groups of rats using the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity test. During the study, each fraction showed significant activity at dose of 250 mg/kg. Of all fractions, those in petroleum ether exhibited a comparatively higher activity. (13) 60 IJPPE Volume 1

Immunomodulatory activity
Immunomodulatory effects of n-butanol soluble and ethyl acetate soluble fractions of methanolic extracts of the fruits were investigated in rats. Oral administration at dose of 100 -500 mg/kg inhibited delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in rats. A dose-dependent increase in both primary and secondary antibody titer was evaluated. Fractions also increased both white blood cell and lymphocyte count . (13)

Anti stress and adaptogenic property
The anti stress potential of ethanolic extracts of fruits in albino Wistar rats were evaluated and investigated the influence of forced swimming endurance stress on swimming endurance time, organ weights, and changes in biochemical parameters in rats. Author investigated the acute heat stress induced changes in biochemical parameters, adrenal gland weight, and stress-induced perturbations in blood cell counts in rats. Withania somnifera was used as standard. (13)

Hepatoprotective activity
Lakshmi BVS, et al investigated the hepatoprotective activity of Lagenaria siceraria fruit extracts against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced hepatotoxicity on rats. Hepatotoxicity induced in male Wister rats by Intraperitoneal injection of CCl 4 (1 ml/kg/day for 7 days). The ethanolic extracts of Lagenaria siceraria juice extract (LSJE) were administered to the rats (400 mg/kg/day, p.o. for 10 days). The hepatoprotective effect of extracts were evaluated by the assay of liver function biochemical parameters (total bilirubin, serum protein, alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase, and alkaline phosphatase activities), liver weight and histopathological studies of the liver. (14) 8.9 Antioxidant activity Acetone extract of fruit epicarp of Lagenaria Siceraria fruit showed highest antioxidant activity against in vitro model using DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl). The fresh juice of the fruit also shows antioxidant activity. The juice and its ten times dilution showed radical scavenging activity. (14) 8.10 Cardioprotective activity M Hassanpur Fard et al. investigate the cardioprotective activity of Lagenaria siceraria fruit powder rat. Wistar albino rats (250-300 gm) were divided in three groups. The drug was evaluated against Doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity at 200 mg/kg, p.o for 18 days. Lagenaria Siceraria prevents the alteration in endogenous antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione) and lipid peroxidation whereas markers of cardiotoxicity i.e. CK-MB (Creatine kinase) and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) were significantly reduced. Further the Lagenaria Siceraria powder also showed the protection against changes in ECG and histopathological alteration induced by doxorubicin. (14) 8.11 Anti hyperglycemic activity Anti hyperglycemic activity of methanol extract of Lagenaria siceraria aerial parts (MELS) use in diabetes has been reported. Streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) was induced Hyperglycemia in rats. Treatment was studied by MELS at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o. for 14 days. As a reference drug Glibenclamide (500 μg/kg) was used. Anti hyperglycemic potential was evaluated by fasting blood glucose (FBG) measurement (on days 0, 4, 8 and 15), biochemical tests (SGPT, SGOT, ALP, total cholesterol, triglycerides), antioxidant assay (lipid peroxide, catalase and glutathione) and histologic study of the liver, kidney and pancreas tissue. (14) 8.12 Anticancer activity Anticancer activity of methanol extract of Lagenaria siceraria aerial parts has been investigated on Ehrlich`s Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) model in mice. After EAC cells inoculation into mice treatment International Journal of Pharmacology, Phytochemistry and Ethnomedicine Vol. 1 with MELS (200 mg and 400 mg/kg) and standard drug 5-fluorouracil (20 mg/kg) were continued for 9 days. Evaluation of the effect of drug response was studied by the tumor growth response including increasing in life span, study of haematological parameters biochemical estimation and antioxidant assay of liver tissue. Experimental results showed that L. siceraria posses significant anticancer activity which may be due to its cytotoxicity and antioxidant properties. (14) 8.13 Antidepressant activity Prajapati R. et al studied the antidepressant activity of methanolic extract of Lagenaria siceraria fruits using forced swim model. Lagenaria fruit were dried and extracted with methanol in soxhlet apparatus for 5-6 hours. Male Wistar albino rats (250-300 gm) were evaluated to behavior despair test. Imipramine was used as a standard drug. (14) 9 compositional patterns of seed oil corresponding to ten cultivars of L. siceraria. (25)

Conclusion
The present article discusses the medicinal properties of L. siceraria which are used in the treatment of different diseases as pain, asthma, fever, ulcer etc. Also cucurbitacin, linoleic acid, oleic acid, phytosterol, phenolic compound etc the active constituents are useful to overcome therapeutic complications. Moreover, such work of detailed report about Lagenaria species is not available in literatures. In future it would be possible to isolate the active constituent present in various parts of the plant through column chromatography and evaluate its ex-vivo potentials. Also, in-vivo study based on animal models will help to explore the hidden pharmacological activities of Lagenaria.