| Common Names | Exploding Cucumber, Squirting Cucumber |
|---|---|
| Description | |
| Locations | Epirus |
| Clinical Summary | |
| Contraindications | Plant's consumption may cause stomach inflammation, vomiting and abdominal pain, in dose of 1g. |
| Active Substance | Proteins Elaterin alpha-elaterin beta-elaterin bitter gluconate minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc) cucurbitacin B |
| Active Substance Plant Part | leaves fruit |
| Adverse Reaction | |
| Educational Research | |
| Interaction | |
| Features Description | Ecballium elaterium is a perennial, self-sown, herbaceous plant growing up to 1m, with thick, green, heart-shaped or triangular leaves and small, yellow flowers. The fruits are oval, approximately 3cm, covered with short hair. The flowering, the fruiting and the harvesting take place from June to August. |
| Method Administration | The plant is administered in the form of herbal extract (after cleaning the fruits, they are crushed in order to get their juice, 2-15g once a day). It is applied externally to the skin in the form of poultice made from the dried root.Warning: The use of herb preparations is not recommended without seeking advice from your physician or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with the subscribed drugs that the patient already takes, thus eliminating their therapeutic efficacy or inducing toxicity. They may also burden further weakened vital functions of the body thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life threatened conditions. |
| Pharmacological Info | The herbal extract has laxative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended for the treatment of sinusitis, liver cirrhosis, urinary tract infections, edema caused by renal and heart failure. It is applied externally to the skin for the treatment of rheumatism, shingles, joint pain and sinusitis. |
| Pharmacological Use | |
| Mechanism Action | |
| References | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614208/ http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/ecballium.html http://practicalplants.org/wiki/Ecballium_elaterium http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/e/ecballium-elaterium=squirting-cucumber.php http://www.naturalclinician.com/Ecballium.cfm |
| Research |
