Kushmanda (Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.) is a trailing or climbing cucurbit cultivated widely across South, East and Southeast Asia for its large, firm fruit used as a vegetable and in traditional medicine. The mature fruit commonly has a waxy coating (hence the name “wax gourd” or “winter melon”). In classical systems it is valued for its cooling, demulcent, diuretic and nutritive properties.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum / Clade: Angiosperms
- Class: Eudicots
- Order: Cucurbitales
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- Genus: Benincasa
- Species: Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.
Common Names
- English: Ash gourd, Winter melon, Wax gourd, White gourd, Pumpkin (regional)
- Sanskrit: Kuśmāṇḍa (Kushmanda)
- Hindi: Petha, Kushmanda
- Bengali: Kumra, Chalkumra
- Tamil: Neer Poosanikkai / Poosanikai
- Telugu: Budida Gummadi / Booragummadi
- Marathi: Kohala / Kohla
- Urdu: Petha / Pethā
Traditional and Medicinal Uses
- Cooling & Demulcent: Fruit pulp and juice traditionally used as a cooling demulcent to soothe gastric and mucosal irritation and to reduce excess heat (pitta) symptoms.
- Digestive Support: Employed to relieve hyperacidity, gastritis symptoms and as a mild digestive soother.
- Diuretic / Urinary Uses: Used to promote urine flow and in management of urinary complaints, including mild urinary retention and urolithic support in traditional practice.
- Respiratory Applications: Fruit preparations used as demulcent/expectorant for phlegmatic coughs and bronchial irritation in folk remedies.
- Anti-inflammatory / Antioxidant Uses: Traditionally used for inflammatory complaints; modern studies lend support to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of extracts.
- Nutritional / Rejuvenative Uses: Used as a nutritive and hydrating food in convalescence and in classical tonic formulations.
References
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Monograph: Kushmanda (Benincasa hispida). Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Vol. IV.
- Islam MT, Nabi A, Roy S, et al. A literature-based update on Benincasa hispida (Thunb.): phytochemistry, pharmacology and traditional uses. Review article (peer-reviewed). 2021.
- Zhang M, Li X, Wang Y, et al. Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Benincasa hispida: a comprehensive review. Review article. 2022.
- Pagare MS, Patil L, Kadam VJ. Benincasa hispida: A natural medicine. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2011;4(12):1941–1944.
- Global Research Online / Phytochemical surveys: Phytochemical analysis reports summarizing flavonoids, sterols, saponins and polysaccharides from Benincasa hispida. (Phytochemical survey article / summary). 2015.
- Singh S. Pharmacological update on Benincasa hispida (Thunb.): recent phytochemical and pharmacological data. Review article. 2024.
My Account
