Pharmacognostical and Pharmacological Review of Cucumis Melo L. Including Unani Medicine Perspective

Cucumis melo which is commonly known as musk melon or Kharbuzah belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. It is an annual climbing or creeping herb with angular, scabrous stem, simple soft hairy orbicular-reniform leaves and bears tendrils, by which it is readily trained over trellises. Musk melons are extensively cultivated throughout India particularly in the hot and dry North-Western areas. Main parts used are pulp, root, seeds and seed oil. It is having diuretic, emmenagogue, and cooling, demulcent, properties. Fruit has been used for several centuries to treat kidney disorders such as kidney and bladder stones, painful and burning micturition, ulcers in the urinary tract, suppression of urine and to treat cough, hot inflammation of the liver, liver and bile obstruction, eczema, etc. The oil from seeds is said to be very nourishing and contains linoleic acid (60-70%), lecithin, cephalin and cerebroside isolated from seed oil. The seeds of melon contain multiflorenol, isomultiflorenol, and 24-methylenecycloartenol. Its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, anthelmintic¸ nephroprotective and cytotoxic activity, Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Activity, Anti-oxidant and free radical scavenging activity, Anti-Vitiligo Effect, Anti-ulcer activity, Anti-cancer activity, Hepato-protective activity, Diuretic effect, Protects against Hypothyroidism, Anti-diabetic activity, Haemagglutination and Haemolysis, Antibacterial and Anthelmintic activity, Antimicrobial activity, Antifungal, Nematicidal have been proved by research studies.