Luffa CYLINDRICA (L.) Roem.
| Synonym : | Luffa leucosperma M.Roem. Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. Melothria touchanensis H. Lév. Momordica cylindrica L. |
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| Bangla Name : | Dhundul. ,Powgul (Tanchangya). |
| English Name : | Sopnge Gourd, Smooth Luffa. |
| Family : | Cucurbitaceae |
| Disease : | Expectorant, tonic, laxative, diuretic, cures biliousness, spleen diseases, leprosy, piles, fever, bronchitis, cool, costive, demulcent, skin disorders, haemorrhoids, emetic and cathartic. |
| Description : | A large climber, with 3-fid tendrils. Leaves orbicular-reniform 10-20 cm long, palmately 5-( rarely 7-) lobed, both surfaces finely scabrous. Male flowers in axillary 4-20 flowered racemes, petals yellow, spreading. Female flowers solitary, yellow, axillary. Fruit 12-30 cm long, cylindric, blunt at the end, marked with longitudinal lines. |
| Distribution : | Cultivated all over the country. |
| Chemical Constituents : | Fruit contains xylan, xylose, galactan, hydrocarbons, glycoproteins and free amino acids such as lysine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine, threonine, glutamic acid, alanine, tryptophan, phenylalanine and leucines and choline and phytin. They also contain |
| Uses : | Fruits are expectorant, tonic, laxative and diuretic, cures biliousness, spleen diseases, leprosy, piles, fever and bronchitis. Young fruits are cool, costive and demulcent, increase appetite. Oinment prepared from the fruit pulp is used in the treatment |
| Habit : | Climber |