Citrullus colocynthis
Citrullus colocynthis
Safety & Hazards
The plant contains a number of potentially toxic compounds and can be harmful if used in quantity. These compounds include elatermidine, glycosides, resin, dihydric alcohol, heltiacontane, citrullin and citrullinic acid. Taken in excess they can cause gastrointestinal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, hypothermia, cardiac disorders, cerebral congestion and necrosis of liver and renal cells[ 1314 Title Toxic effect of some medicinal plants used in Moroccan traditional medicine Publication Moroccan J. Biol. 2-3 (2006) 21-30 Author Mohamed Bnouham; Fatima Zahra Merhfour; Mostafa Elachoui; Ab Publisher Year 2006 ISBN Description ].
Botanical Description
Citrullus colocynthis is a perennial plant with a woody, tuberous rootstock from which grow long trailing or climbing stems[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of oil. It has long been valued for its medicinal uses and is cultivated in some regions for this purpose[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. , 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ].