Bitterroot Restoration

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Common name: Indrayan, Makal, Makhal(Beng.); Colocynth, Bitter cucumber(Eng.).
Life cycle: Perennial or Annul
Native Range: Native to the Mediterranean Basin and Asia.

Annual or perennial herbaceous vine; stems angular and rough; leaves rough, 3- to 7-lobed, 5-10 cm long, middle lobe sometimes ovate, sinuses open. Flowers monoecious, solitary, peduncled, axillary, corollas 5-lobed; ovary villous. The fruit a pepo, nearly globular, 4-10 cm in diameter with somewhat elliptical fissures, about size of small orange, green and yellow variegated becoming yellow when ripe, with hard rind, pulp light in weight, spongy, easily broken, light yellowish-orange to pale yellow. The seeds numerous, ovoid, compressed, smooth, dark brown to light yellowish-orange, borne on parietal placenta.

In pre-modern medicine Citrullus colocynthis was an ingredient in the electuary called confectio hamech, or diacatholicon, and most other laxative pills; and in such cases as required purging, it was very successful. Citrullus colocynthis is one of the most violent purgative drugs known; insomuch that it excoriates the passages to such a degree as to sometimes draw blood, and induce a so-called "superpurgation". Sometimes, it was taken boiled in water, or beer, in obstruction of the menses, which was considered successful in strong constitutions. Some women used it in the same manner, in the beginning of pregnancy, to cause an abortion, which often occurred due to the violence of its operation.