A Literature-Based Update on Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.: Traditional Uses, Nutraceutical, and Phytopharmacological Profiles

Table 6

Other pharmacological activities of Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.

Extract/isolated compounds	Model dose/concentration	Results/potential mechanisms	References
Lipid-lowering effect
Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate/aqueous fruit extract	3T3-L1 cells/in vitro	Hexane extract: ↓adipocyte differentiation, ↓PPARγ, ↓C/EBPα, ↓leptin gene expression, ↓lipids accumulation, ↑releasing of glycerol, ↑ triglycerides	[97]
Antidiabetic effect
Methanolic/stem extract	Alloxan-induced diabetes; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 50,100, 200 mg/kg p.o.	↓blood glucose level dose-dependent	[37]
Chloroform/fruits extract	Alloxan-induced diabetes; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 250, 500 mg/kg p.o.	Dose-dependently ameliorated the disorders in the metabolism of lipids in diabetic mice	[91]
Ethanol, hexane, ethyl ethanoate/leaf extract	STZ-induced diabetes; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 0.2-1 g/kg, i.p	Ethanol, ethyl ethanoate extracts: ↓blood glucose level	[22]
Antiobesity effect
Methanolic fruit extract	Mice/in vivo; Dose: 0.2-1 g/kg, i.p.	Anorexic activity; ↓food intake	[96]
Antiageing of skin
Petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol/dried fruit pulp extract	Stratum corneum of human skin and dansyl chloride fluorescence models; In vitro	Cream prepared from the fruit extract showed the significant antiageing effect	[12]
Effects on other diseases
Fruit methanol extract	Antigen-antibody induced reaction in rats exudate cells/in vitro	↓histamine release, anti-inflammatory effect; Triterpenes, sterols, multiflorenol, alnusenol exerted better inhibitory effects	[33]
Methanolic fruits extract	Histamine and acetylcholine-induced bronchospasm; Guinea pigs/in vivo; Dose: 50, 200, 400 mg/kg, p.o.	Bronchodilator effect: dose-dependent protection against histamine and acetylcholine-induced bronchospasm	[115]
Petroleum ether, methanolic/fruits extract	Histamine stimulated paw oedema carrageenan- stimulated paw oedema cotton pellet stimulated granuloma; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 300 mg/kg, p.o.	↓histamine release; Anti-inflammatory effect	[58]
Juice	Isolated rat aortic ring/in vitro; Cultured porcine endothelial cells/in vitro; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 0.4–1.6 mL/kg, i.v.	Antihypertensive effect dose-dependent; ↓blood pressure; ↑relaxation, ↓contraction of isolated rat aortic ring; ↑NO in cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells	[116]
Methanolic fruit extract	Renal ischemia/reperfusion injury model; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 500 mg/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days	Nephroprotective; ↓MDA, ↑SOD, CAT, ↑GSH	[117]
Ethanolic seeds extract	Ethylene glycol induced chronic; Hyperoxaluria model; Rats/in vivo; Dose:250, 500 mg/kg, p.o. for 35 days	Nephroprotective; ↓ urinary oxalate, ↓endogenous oxalate synthesis; ↓urinary protein excretion, ↓kidney oxalate and calcium; ↓elevated serum levels of sodium, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus	[118]
Neuroprotective effects
Fruit juice	Morphine addiction model; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 1 mL/mouse, p.o.	The development of morphine addiction prevented along with the suppression of opioid withdrawal symptoms	[113]
Methanolic fruit extract	Spontaneous motor, muscle relaxant, antihistaminic effect and barbiturate induced hypnosis models; Mice, rats, and guinea pigs/in vivo; Dose: 200-3000 mg/kg, p.o.	↑ barbiturate induced hypnosis; ↑ antihistaminic activity	[114]
Fruit methanol extract	Pentylenetetrazole, strychnine, picrotoxin, and maximal electro seizures model; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 0.2-1 g/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent anticonvulsant activity	[98]
Methanolic fruit extract	Acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate; Model; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 200, 400, 600 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent analgesic effect	[111]
Aqueous pulp extract	Colchicine-induced Alzheimer’s model; Rats/in vivo; Dose: 100-450 mg/kg, p.o.	↑SOD, ↑CAT, ↑GSH, ↓LPO dose-dependent	[16]
Ethanolic seed extract	Rats/in vivo; Dose: 250, 500 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent analgesic and antipyretic effects	[26]
Methanolic fruit extract	Marble-burying and motor coordination tests; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 200, 400, 600 mg/kg, p.o.	Significant dose-dependent anticompulsive effect	[38]
Methanolic leaf extract	Acetic acid-induced writhing; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent analgesic effect	[112]
Fruit peel methanolic extract	Egg albumin-induced inflammation in rats; acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin-induced pain, hot plate-induced, and pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependently (0.25-1.5 g/kg) inhibited acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin-induced pain licking, and hot plate-induced pain in mice.; Significantly inhibition of egg albumin-induced inflammation in rats and pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion in mice	[62]
Ethanolic seed extract	Anticonvulsant activity; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 250, 500 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent anticonvulsant effects	[72]
Methanolic fruit extract	TST and FST model; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 50, 100, 200 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent antidepressant effect possibly through GABAergic involvement.	[110]
Petroleum ether, methanolic, aqueous/fruit extracts	Motor coordination, locomotor, cognitive behaviour, anxiolytic, haloperidol-induced catalepsy, and anticonvulsant models; Mice/in vivo; Dose: 100, 200, 400 mg/kg, p.o.	Dose-dependent anxiolytic, analgesic, and nootropic activity	[107]