Ø Regional names:¹

The plant is known by various names in different languages as follows:

Hindi name : Kundasu

Sanskrit name : Bimbi

English name : Ivy gourd

Tamil name : Kobai, Kai

Telgu name : Donda, Kapa

Ø Scientific classification:⁴

Kingdom : Plantae

(Unranked) : Angiosperms

(Unranked) : Eudicots

(Unranked) : Rosids

Order : Cucurbitales

Family : Cucurbitaceae

Genus : Coccinia

Species : indica

Botanical name : Coccinia indica

Macroscopy (Fig-1):-⁵

Stem:

Smooth, cylindrical and slightly flattened at the extremities, longitudinal striations on the external surface, fibrous with presence of leaf tendrils.

Leaves:

Alternate, sagittate, margins crenate, 6 to 13 cm. or more long, 10 to 14 cm. wide, lower surface smooth with reticulate venation, mucronate apex (Fig:1)

Flowers:

1 to 2 cm. in diameter, solitary or in densely crowded auxiliary heads.

(i)Pedicles:1 to 2 cm. slender, joined near the middle.

(ii)Calyx: Persistent and 5 lobed

(iii)Sepals :Pale green, triangular, acute, about 6mm. long.

(iv)Petals: Five, joined at base, 6 to 9 mm. or more long, white or pale yellow, with a shallow notch at the apex.

(v)Ovary :Eight celled, one ovulate.

(vi) Stamens :Many filaments arising from a tube.

(vii)Style :Divided to 6 branches. (Fig:1)

Fruits:

Outer surface of the fruit is dark green colour and inner surface is yellowish-pink colour. Somewhat curved from base and are having smooth surface. Fruits contain: Pericarp, Epicarp, and Mesocarp. The fruits also contain Endocarp, Placenta, and Unilocular ovary. (Fig:1)

Seeds :

Small, roughly triangular, 1.5 mm. long with a deep depression on each sides, reddish brown or black.

Root : Strong Taproot.

Microscopy:-⁵

The T.S. of leaf consists of Lamina and Midrib and report mentioned in Fig.no-2.

Lamina:

(1) The upper and lower epidermis consists of single layer of tabular cells, covered with smooth cuticle.

(2) Just below the upper epidermis single layer of palisade parenchyma (Upper palisade) was present and it was not

continuous over the midrib region.

(3) Rest part of the lamina is filled with loosely arranged parenchymatus cells having large intra cellular spaces (Spongy Parenchyma), few cells contains calcium oxalate crystals.

(4) No lower palisade cells were observed.

Midrib:

The midrib was having slight projection on the upper side and lower side was wider.

(1) Upper epidermis composed of single layer tabular cells with smooth cuticle. Below the upper epidermis in the projection area 3-4 layers of collenchymatous tissue were observed, followed by layers of cortical parenchymatous cells.

(2) . Palisade cells were absent at the midrib region.

(3) The secondary vascular bundle consists of xylem vessels. Surrounded by inter xylary parenchymatous cells, phloem composed of 3-4 layers of polyhedral closely arranged cells and 3-4 layers of pericyclic sclerenchymatous cells. It is present towards the ventral side.

(4) The primary vascular bundle consists of xylem vessels. Surrounded by inter xylary parenchymatous cells, phloem composed of 3-4 layers of polyhedral closely arranged cells which are slightly bigger then the secondary vascular bundle.

(5) The space between the endodermis and collenchymatus layer is filled with cortical parenchyma.

(6) Lower epidermis consisted of single layer irregular shaped cells with smooth cuticle and just above the lower epidermis 2-3 layers of parenchymatous cells followed by the layers of collenchymatous cells were present.

(7) Prismatic calcium-oxalate crystals were found in the midrib region inside collenchymatous cells.

Powder Microscopy-⁵

The powder characters of a drug are mainly used in the identification of the drug in the powder from. The leaf powder was green in colour, characteristic in odour with in mucilaginous and slightly bitter in taste on microscopical examination the powder showed animocytic stomata, Spongy parenchyma containing calcium oxalate prisms, Spiral Xylem vessel, Prismatic calcium oxalate crystals, collenchymatous cells and cortical parenchymatus cells and report mentioned in Fig.no-3.

Physical evaluation-⁵

The Loss on Drying, Ash Values likes (Total Ash, Acid insoluble ash, Water soluble ash, Sulphated ash) Water soluble extractive, Methanol soluble extractive, Pet. Ether soluble extractive and Swelling Index of leaf powder are given in table-1.

Acute Toxicity Study: ⁶

Acute oral toxicity was performed as per OECD-423 guidelines. Animals are distributed into one control and three treated groups. Animals in control group received vehicle while animals in other groups received 100, 500, 1000mg/kg body weight aqueous extract. In the acute toxicity test of aqueous extract there was no mortality or any signs of behavioral changes or toxicity observed after oral administration of the extract up to the dose of 2000mg/kg body weight in mice.

Chemical Constituents:-

Coccinia indica has been explored phytochemically by various researchers and found to posses number of chemical constituents.

 The plant contains Saponins, flavonoids, sterols and alkaloids.

 The various plant constituents reported are cephalandrol, tritriacontane, lupenol,, β-sitosterol, cephalandrin A, cephalandrin B, stigma-7-en-3-one, taraxeron and taraxerol.⁶

 The roots are found to contain Triterpenoids, saponin coccinioside, flavonoid glycoside ombuin 3-o-arabinofuranoside, lupenol, β-amyrin, β-sitosterol, stigmast-7-en-3-one.^7-10

 The fruits are found to contain Taraxerone, taraxerol, and (24R)-24- ethylcholest- 5- en- 3β- ol glucoside.

Β- carotene, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, and apo- 6’- lycopenalΒ- sitosterol and taraxerol.^11-13

 Aerial parts of the plant contain Heptacosane Cephalandrol, C₂₉H₅₈O tritriacontane C₃₃H₆₈ Β- sitosterol alkaloids Cephalandrine a and Cephalandrine b.^14,15

 The whole plant contain Aspartic acid, Glutamic Acid, Asparagine, Tyrosine, Histidine, Phenylalanine And Threonine Valine Arginine.¹⁶

Traditional Uses:

Almost all the parts of Coccinia indica are of medicinal importance and traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments.

This plant is traditionally used in various diseases like psoriasis, ringworm, itching, small pox, skin diseases, ulcer, scabies, diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, dysentery, vomiting, cough and cold.^{6, 17, 18}

Pharmacological Studies:-

Hypoglycemic activity:

Hypoglycemic effect of Coccinia indica W and A. and its influence on certain biochemical parameters were studied, where the alcoholic extract was found to be more active in reducing blood glucose level. ¹⁹

Pectin isolated from hydroalcoholic extract of fruits of Coccinia indica upon oral administration at a dose of 200mg/ 100gmBW/Day showed significant hypoglycemic effect.²⁰

Evaluation of antidiabetic efficacy of coccinia indica in rats shows significant reduction in blood glucose, serum cholesterol, triglyceride and lipid peroxides levels and elevation of reduced glutathione and liver glycogen in C. indica treated group when compared with the diabetic control. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of C. indica leaves possessed significant hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects.²¹

Hypoglycemic activity of Pectin isolated from the fruit of coccinia indica in normal rats showed highly significant Glycogen synthetase activity and significant redn. in phosphorylase activity.²²

Antiulcer activity:

The anti–ulcer activity of ethanolic, aqueous, total aqueous extracts of leaves of Coccinia grandis (Linn.), Anti-ulcer activity of the three extracts was studied in rats by using pylorus ligated ulcer model. The expected result is to get an anti-ulcer activity of the leaf extracts of Coccinia grandis should owing to the presence of one or more phytoconstituents, which may reduce the acidity of the gastric juice and also prevents the mucosal damage and ulcer formation. The Ethanolic Extract 400mg/kg expected to showed comparable anti ulcer-activity as that of standard Omeprazole.²³

Anthelmintic activity:

The present study was designed to explore the anthelmintic activity of different extracts of plant Coccinia indica (fruits) using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate methanol and water as solvents. Various concentrations (25 and 50mg/ml) of all the extracts were tested, which involved determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. It was compared with Albendazole as standard reference and normal saline as control. The study indicated the potential usefulness of Coccinia indica against earthworm infections.¹⁸

Antibacterial activity:

In vitro antibacterial activity of leaves and stem extracts of Coccinia grandis L., has been investigated against Bacillus cereus, Corynebacterium diptheriae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli (ETEC), Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Shigella boydii. Water extract of leaves and ethanolic extract of stem showed significant activity against Shigella boydii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively.²⁴

The aqueous and organic solvent (Petroleum ether, chloroform and ethanol) extracts from the leaves of Coccinia indica (Cucurbitaceae) were tested against Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhimurium by agar well diffusion method and broth dilution method. Results showed promising antibacterial activity against the bacteria tested. Among these, ethanol and aqueous extracts were found to have a more potent inhibitory effect comparing with the other extracts.²⁵

Antioxidant activity:

The aim of the present study was investigating the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of the fruit of Coccinia grandis L. Voigt. (Cucurbitaceae). The antioxidant activity of the fruit has been evaluated by using three in vitro assays and was compared to standard antioxidant, Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). All the fractions showed effective H-donor activity, reducing power, free radical scavenging activity. The antioxidant property depends upon concentration and increased with increasing amount of the fractions. The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of flavonoids present in the fractions.²⁶

Antitussive activity:

The a antitussive effect of aerosols of two different concentrations (2.5%, 5%w/v) of methanol extract of Coccinia grandis fruits were tested by counting the numbers of coughs produced due to aerosols of citric acid, 10 min after exposing the male guinea pigs to aerosols of test solutions for 7 min. In another set of experiment methanol extract was investigated for its therapeutic efficacy on a cough model induced by sulfur dioxide gas in mice. The results showed significant reduction of cough number obtained in the presence of both concentrations of methanol extract as that of the prototype antitussive agent codeine phosphate.²⁷

Antihepatotoxic activity:

Ethanolic extract of fruit and leaves of Coccinia indica revealed the presence of saponins. The purified fraction Ci from ethanolic extract by gradient silica gel column chromatography in the dose 25 mg/kg (Ci-1) and 50 mg/kg (Ci-2) (p.o.) showed significant dose dependent reduction in SGPT, SGOT, bilirubin, total protein, liver weight and lipid peroxide levels with reference to the standard, silymarin (25 mg/kg, p.o).The Ci compound also revealed significant dose dependent reduction in the hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities such as super oxide dismutase, glutathione, catalase, and peroxidase. The structural characterization of Ci compound by microanalysis, UV, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹²C NMR spectroscopy and Mass spectrometry revealed structure with molecular formula C₂₉ H₅₀ O (β sitosterol). Hepatoprotective potential of Ci compound, β sitosterol was inferred from it's antihepatotoxic activities on serum transaminases and hepatic antioxidant enzymes in CCl₄intoxicated rats.²⁸

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity:

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity of aqueous extract of fresh leaves of Coccinia indica. The anti-inflammatory activity was studied by using Carrageenan- induced paw oedema method, analgesic activity was studied by using Tail flick model in rats and antipyretic activity was studied by using Yeast induced hyperpyrexia in rats. The aqueous extract of fresh leaves was found to be effective as anti-infflamatory, analgesic and antipyretic.²⁹

Figure 1: Macroscopy of Coccinia indica.

Fig-2. Microscopy of Coccinia indica leaf

SP-Spongy Parenchyma, LE-Lower Epidermis, VB-Vasucular Bundle, CH- Collenchyma,, LEC-Lower

Epidermis with Cuticle, UEC-Upper Epidermis With Cuticle, PF-Pericyclic Fibers, UP-Upper Palisade.

Table 1: Physical Evaluation.

Sr. No.	Parameter Values	(%)(w/w)
1.	Loss on Drying	15.5%
2.	Ash Values
A.	Total Ash	13.7%
B.	Acid insoluble ash	1.25%
C.	Water soluble ash	7.20%
D.	Sulphated ash	11.5%
3.	Extractive Values
A.	Water soluble extractive	20.5%
B.	Methanol soluble Exractive	12.80%
C.	Pet.ether soluble Extractive	3.16%
4.	Swelling Index	0.827

CONCLUSION:

Coccionia indica have several pharmacological properties like, Antidiabetic, Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic, antipyretic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity. The main chemical constituents are steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins and Phenolic compounds. Hence in this review article, effort has been taken to collect and compile the details regarding Coccionia indica which will be useful to the society to venture into a field of alternative systems of medicine.

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Received on 29.08.2012

Modified on 04.09.2012

Accepted on 19.09.2012

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 5(1): January–February 2013, 9-14