Abdullah Ijaz Hussain
Government College University, Pakistan
Title: Bitter Apple Fruit [Citrullus Colocynthis]: Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Traditional Uses And Nutritional Potential
Biography
Biography: Abdullah Ijaz Hussain
Abstract
Bitter apple (Citrullus colocynthis), a member of family Cucurbitaceae, is a high valued medicinal plant, distributed in many tropical and subtropical countries. Bitter apple fruits usually recognized based on their medicinal and nutritional properties especially in Asian countries. Bitter apple fruit has been valued as a nutritious fruit as it provides a good source of fatty acids, protein and minerals elements. As a rich source of functionally important bioactives and therapeutics such as polyphenols, triterpenes, sterols, and glycosides, the fruit has been widely used for the treatment of rheumatism, paronychia, ulcer, malaria, and cardiovascular and degenerative diseases in the native medicine system of Asia. A number of medicinal properties such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diarrheal, anti-obesity, anti-ulcer, and anti-inflammatory have been ascribed to this fruit of high economic value. The aim of the present work is to present comprehensive information of the cultivation, nutritional and chemical composition, as well as medicinal and therapeutic properties of this multipurpose fruit, as one of the potential sources of bioactives for functional food and nutraceutical applications.