Coccinia indica: A Comprehensive Review of Pharmacology, Therapeutic Applications, Nutritional Potentials, and Future Prospects

Abstract

The pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, nutritional value, and ethnopharmacological activity of Coccinia indica (C. indica) are discussed in this review. Many patented compositions generated from C. indica are now widely available around the world. This has resulted in a rise in research on the phytochemical elements of C. indica as well as ethnopharmacological activities. This belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Indigenous peoples used several portions of the plant for food and medicine. When the fruit of C. indica is green in colour, it is used as a vegetable, and when it ripens into a beautiful scarlet hue, it is eaten fresh. C. indica's young leaves and branch tips are frequently utilised in traditional medical systems in Asia, including Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani. Traditionally, different parts of this plant used in folk medicine for many purposes, such as anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimalarial, antidyslipidemic, anticancer, analgesic, antipyretic, antitussive, antinociceptive, hepatoprotective, ant obesity, and neuroprotective function. Many traditional medicines are made from medicinal plants, minerals, and organic materials, which is why this review is focused on that particular plant. The utilisation of numerous medicinal plants from the traditional medicine system for the treatment of various ailments has sparked increasing interest in recent years. Traditional medicine has employed C. indica as a home treatment for a variety of diseases.