Botanical Name

Cucumis melo var. utilissimus

Family

Cucurbitaceae.

Synonyms

Cucumis melo var. acidulus Naudin, Cucumis melo var. Adana (Pangalo) Pangalo, Cucumis melo var. zhukowskii (Pangalo) Filov.

Regional Name

English : Snake Cucumber, Hindi : Karkri, Kakadi, Sanskrit : Bahukanda, Brhatphala, Hastipani. Hastipani, Karkati, Urdu : Kakari, Punjabi : Kakri, Gujrati : Kakadi, Bengali : Kakur, Karikuda, Kannada : Saute, Malayalam : Kamkadi, Vellarika, Marathi : Kakadi, Valnka, Tamil : Kakkarikkay, Vellarikkai, Telugu : Dosakaya.

Part Used

Seeds.

Description

Ervaru is an annual creeping herb, cultivated in many parts of the country, especially in upper India and particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Seed compressed, more or less ellipsoid, 0.7-10 cm long, 0.3-0.4 cm wide, surface smooth, glossy, cream-yellow; taste, sweetish oily.

Phytoconstituents

It contains Oil & Sugars.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Guna : Guru, Ruksa, Vipaka : Madhura, Virya : Sita, Karma : Bhedi, Dipana, Kaphakara, Pittahara, Rucya, Vatakara, Raktadosakara, Ghrta.

Ayurvedic Applications

Daha, Gulma, Jvara, Raktapitta, Trsna, Asmari, Mutrakrcchra.

Medicinal Uses

It is used for the treatment of Burning sensation, abdominal tumor, fever, Bleeding disorders, thirst, cooling, painful micturition, suppression of urine, renal calculi, urinary disorders (kidney diseases), dysuria, and lithiasis.