Name : Luffa
Botonical Name: Luffa acutangula
Family: Cucurbitaceae.
Part Used : Fruits, Seeds
Habitat : Throughout india, wild in wastelands especially along the coastal areas and also cultivated
Habitat : Throughout india, wild in wastelands especially along the coastal areas and also cultivated
SYNONYMS -Sansk. : Kritavedhana , Jali, Dhamarg Assam. : --Beng. : Zinga Eng. : Ribbed Gourd Guj. : Turiya, Kadawa, Turiya Hindi. : Turai, SatputiaKan. : Hire-ValliKash. : --Mal. : Peerkam KaiMar. : Dodka TuriyaOri. : TaradaPunj. : TuriyaTam. : PeerkkuTel. : Beera, Chedu beeha, Varri beeraUrdu. : Turai
DESCRIPTION -
a) Macroscopic:Root - Occurs in cut pieces, 8-12 cm long, and 0.5-0.7 cm thick, yellowish-brown; almost cylindrical, rough due to longitudinal wrinkles, having a few adventitious roots; fracture, short Stem - 0.2-0.4 cm thick, 5 angled, glabrous, scabrid, having tendrils; brownish-yellow.Leaf - petiole 3-8 cm long; somewhat twisted, wrinkled, scabrid, angular; brownishyellow; lamina crimpled, curled, corrugated, pale or light-green, 6-9 cm long and broad; palmately 5-7 angled or sub lobate, scabrid on both surfaces, base cordate, nerves and veins prominent beneath Flower - Male flower in small racemes or single, calyx pubescent, 1.3 cm long, lobes lanceolate, light greenish-yellow; corolla yellow, 2 cm long, spreading, obovate; stamens 3; Female flower solitary, yellow; pedicel 5-10 cm long; ovary strongly ribbed; stigma, trifid.Fruit - A pepo; 9-12 cm long, and 2-4 cm broad; cylindrical or club-shaped, obovate in shape, tapering towards the base; pale yellowish-brown; outer surface covered with 8-10 prominent longitudinal ribs; three chambers, inner part being fibrous and easily detachable as a whole from the outer part.Seed - Ovoid-oblong, 0.6-0.8 cm long, and 0.5-0.6 cm wide; much compressed, slightly corrugated on the edges, black; taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic:Root - Shows wavy outline composed of cork cells, a few outermost layers of secondary cortex disintegrated, remaining outer cortical cells lignified, and a number of large, thinwalled, lignified, variously shaped stone cells with very wide lumen found; inner cortical cells thin-walled and parenchymatous; secondary phloem consisting of thinwalled cells of usual elements; secondary xylem tissues lignified traversed by multi seriate, radially elongated, thin-walled ray cells; xylem vessel simple pitted; a few simple, round to oval starch grains measuring 4-7 µ in dia., having striations and distinct hilum found in secondary cortex. Stem - Shows 5 prominent ridges; epidermis single layered, covered by cuticle; cortex composed of 6 -10 or more layered, oval to polygonal, collenchyma cells under ridges, followed by 4-6 layered, compact band of thick-walled, polygonal, lignified cells; ground tissues composed of round to oval, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, embedded with 10 bicollateral, open, conjoint, endarch vascular bundles, 5 of outer ring present opposite the ridges while rest 5 of the inner ring face the furrows; secondary phloem and xylem consisting of usual elements; xylem vessel bordered pitted; a few simple starch grains, round to oval, having striations with distinct hilum, measuring 5-8 µ in dia., found scattered in cortical and pith region.Leaf -Petiole - shows 6-7 prominent ridges having sJingle layered epidermis, covered by thick cuticle; secondary cortex -wide in each ridge, composed of thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; ground tissue a wide zone having 6 or 7 bicollateral, vascular bundles present in each ridge.Lamina - shows single layered epidermis on both surfaces, having simple unicellular hairs with blunt tips and glandular hairs with unicellular stalk of variable length and spherical head having 3 or 4 cells; mesophyll differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma; vascular bundles bicollateral; stomata, anomocytic, present on both surfaces; stomatal number 59 - 64 on lower surface and 29 -39 on upper surface; stomatal index 13-14 on lower surface and 9-10 on upper surface; palisade ratio not over 3; vein islets number. 14-19 per sq. mm. Fruit - Section shows irregular outline due to 8-10 prominent ribs; epicarp consist of single layered papillose epidermis covered with thick, striated cuticle having a few bristles, followed by 4-6 layers of thin-walled, tangentially elongated parenchymatous cells, some cells especially near the ribs, having brownish contents; below this thickwalled, polyhedral, continuous band of stone cells present, measuring 24-40 µ in dia.; outer 6-8 layers of this band consists of closely packed thick-walled sclereids, while the inner 2-4 layers, thick-walled and distinctly pitted; rnesocarp broad, composed of a zone of rounded to tangentially elongated, parenchymatous cells having bicollateral vascular bundles, followed by 8-10 layers of thick-walled, polyhedral, sclerenchyma and fibres. Seed - Testa consists of a single layer of rectangular, thick-walled, sclerenchymatous cells, followed by a tegmen, composed of 5 or 6 layered, oval to polygonal, parenchymatous cells and a single layered elongated, lignified, sclerotic palisade-like cells; endosperm composed of thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; cotyledons flat, consisting of thin-walled, oval to polygonal, parenchymatous cells. Powder - Greyish-brown; shows fragments of cork cells, thick-walled, wavy or sinuous epidermal cells, lignified sclerotic or palisade-like cells of testa, sclerenchymatous cells, pieces of unicellular and glandular hairs, vessel with spiral and reticulate thickening, simple or groups of elongated, lignified stone cells, simple, rounded to oval starch grains having concentric striations and narrow hilum, measuring 4-7 µ in dia.
DESCRIPTION -
a) Macroscopic:Root - Occurs in cut pieces, 8-12 cm long, and 0.5-0.7 cm thick, yellowish-brown; almost cylindrical, rough due to longitudinal wrinkles, having a few adventitious roots; fracture, short Stem - 0.2-0.4 cm thick, 5 angled, glabrous, scabrid, having tendrils; brownish-yellow.Leaf - petiole 3-8 cm long; somewhat twisted, wrinkled, scabrid, angular; brownishyellow; lamina crimpled, curled, corrugated, pale or light-green, 6-9 cm long and broad; palmately 5-7 angled or sub lobate, scabrid on both surfaces, base cordate, nerves and veins prominent beneath Flower - Male flower in small racemes or single, calyx pubescent, 1.3 cm long, lobes lanceolate, light greenish-yellow; corolla yellow, 2 cm long, spreading, obovate; stamens 3; Female flower solitary, yellow; pedicel 5-10 cm long; ovary strongly ribbed; stigma, trifid.Fruit - A pepo; 9-12 cm long, and 2-4 cm broad; cylindrical or club-shaped, obovate in shape, tapering towards the base; pale yellowish-brown; outer surface covered with 8-10 prominent longitudinal ribs; three chambers, inner part being fibrous and easily detachable as a whole from the outer part.Seed - Ovoid-oblong, 0.6-0.8 cm long, and 0.5-0.6 cm wide; much compressed, slightly corrugated on the edges, black; taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic:Root - Shows wavy outline composed of cork cells, a few outermost layers of secondary cortex disintegrated, remaining outer cortical cells lignified, and a number of large, thinwalled, lignified, variously shaped stone cells with very wide lumen found; inner cortical cells thin-walled and parenchymatous; secondary phloem consisting of thinwalled cells of usual elements; secondary xylem tissues lignified traversed by multi seriate, radially elongated, thin-walled ray cells; xylem vessel simple pitted; a few simple, round to oval starch grains measuring 4-7 µ in dia., having striations and distinct hilum found in secondary cortex. Stem - Shows 5 prominent ridges; epidermis single layered, covered by cuticle; cortex composed of 6 -10 or more layered, oval to polygonal, collenchyma cells under ridges, followed by 4-6 layered, compact band of thick-walled, polygonal, lignified cells; ground tissues composed of round to oval, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, embedded with 10 bicollateral, open, conjoint, endarch vascular bundles, 5 of outer ring present opposite the ridges while rest 5 of the inner ring face the furrows; secondary phloem and xylem consisting of usual elements; xylem vessel bordered pitted; a few simple starch grains, round to oval, having striations with distinct hilum, measuring 5-8 µ in dia., found scattered in cortical and pith region.Leaf -Petiole - shows 6-7 prominent ridges having sJingle layered epidermis, covered by thick cuticle; secondary cortex -wide in each ridge, composed of thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; ground tissue a wide zone having 6 or 7 bicollateral, vascular bundles present in each ridge.Lamina - shows single layered epidermis on both surfaces, having simple unicellular hairs with blunt tips and glandular hairs with unicellular stalk of variable length and spherical head having 3 or 4 cells; mesophyll differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma; vascular bundles bicollateral; stomata, anomocytic, present on both surfaces; stomatal number 59 - 64 on lower surface and 29 -39 on upper surface; stomatal index 13-14 on lower surface and 9-10 on upper surface; palisade ratio not over 3; vein islets number. 14-19 per sq. mm. Fruit - Section shows irregular outline due to 8-10 prominent ribs; epicarp consist of single layered papillose epidermis covered with thick, striated cuticle having a few bristles, followed by 4-6 layers of thin-walled, tangentially elongated parenchymatous cells, some cells especially near the ribs, having brownish contents; below this thickwalled, polyhedral, continuous band of stone cells present, measuring 24-40 µ in dia.; outer 6-8 layers of this band consists of closely packed thick-walled sclereids, while the inner 2-4 layers, thick-walled and distinctly pitted; rnesocarp broad, composed of a zone of rounded to tangentially elongated, parenchymatous cells having bicollateral vascular bundles, followed by 8-10 layers of thick-walled, polyhedral, sclerenchyma and fibres. Seed - Testa consists of a single layer of rectangular, thick-walled, sclerenchymatous cells, followed by a tegmen, composed of 5 or 6 layered, oval to polygonal, parenchymatous cells and a single layered elongated, lignified, sclerotic palisade-like cells; endosperm composed of thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; cotyledons flat, consisting of thin-walled, oval to polygonal, parenchymatous cells. Powder - Greyish-brown; shows fragments of cork cells, thick-walled, wavy or sinuous epidermal cells, lignified sclerotic or palisade-like cells of testa, sclerenchymatous cells, pieces of unicellular and glandular hairs, vessel with spiral and reticulate thickening, simple or groups of elongated, lignified stone cells, simple, rounded to oval starch grains having concentric striations and narrow hilum, measuring 4-7 µ in dia.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION -
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Alpa Kashaya
Guna : Laghu, Tikshna
Virya : sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphapittaghna, Malavisodhani, Vamanopaga, TridoshaharaI
MPORTANT FORMULATIONS - Abhaya Lavana
THERAPEUTIC USES - Kushtha, Pandu, Pliharoga, sopha, Gulma, Adhmana,Garavisha, Arsa, Kamala, Gandamala
DOSE - 5 - 10 g.
Chemical Constituents: Bitter Principles, Saponins, Sapogenins and Fixed Oil. fruits contains lucyosides C, E, F, H, a mixture of alpha-spinasterol and stigmasta-7,22,25-trien-3 beta-OH and a mixture of alpha-spinasteryl glucoside and delta 7,22,25-stigmasteryl-beta-D-glucoside
Uses:
The fruit section of L. aegyptiaca may be allowed to mature and used as a bath or kitchen sponge after being processed to remove everything but the network of xylem. Marketed as luffa or loofah, the sponge is used like a body scrub. Softly-textured luffa sponges are not derived from the luffa fruit, but are manufactured by folding in several layers of soft mesh-like fabric into a cloud-like shape; commonly used in tandem with shower soaps.
Its juice is used as a natural remedy for jaundice. The juice is obtained by pounding the bitter luffa and squeezing it through a cloth. Bitter luffa seeds and dry crusts are also available and can be used for the same purpose.
In Maharashtra, India, dodaka (ridged gourd/luffa) and ghosavala (smooth luffa) are common vegetables prepared with either crushed dried peanuts or with beans.
In China and the Philippines, the luffa or patola is eaten as a green vegetable in various dishes.
In Paraguay, panels are made out of luffa combined with other vegetable matter and recycled plastic. These can be used to create furniture and construct houses
Its juice is used as a natural remedy for jaundice. The juice is obtained by pounding the bitter luffa and squeezing it through a cloth. Bitter luffa seeds and dry crusts are also available and can be used for the same purpose.
In Maharashtra, India, dodaka (ridged gourd/luffa) and ghosavala (smooth luffa) are common vegetables prepared with either crushed dried peanuts or with beans.
In China and the Philippines, the luffa or patola is eaten as a green vegetable in various dishes.
In Paraguay, panels are made out of luffa combined with other vegetable matter and recycled plastic. These can be used to create furniture and construct houses
1 comment:
Dear Sir,
I read your article and uses of Bitter luffa seeds for jaundice.
Where can i get Bitter luffa seeds in Pune
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