A Review on Pharmacological Activities of Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad

Plants are seen generally as resources for food and medicines by humans. Citrullus colocynthis is a decorative European plant. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is also called bitter apple and bitter cucumber. This plant is mostly found in Africa, Asia and many regions of Iran. In this article, Citrullus colocynthis was found to have antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antineoplastic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, profibrinolytic, analgesic, antiallergic, antimicrobial, pesticidal and immunostimulant activity. It also has an effect on the reproductive system and fertility. This review suggests that Citrullus colocynthis has a broad spectrum of pharmacological activity, in which antidiabetic activity is prominent. It seems that more research is needed to evaluate these findings.