Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. – die Eselsgurke

Zusammenfassung

Ecballium elaterium, die Esels- oder Spritzgurke, aus der Familie der Cucurbitaceae, ist seit der Antike im Mittelmeerraum als Arzneipflanze bekannt. Auch heute noch werden Fruchtsaftextrakte in der traditionellen Medizin verschiedener mediterraner Länder eingesetzt, so z.B. bei Sinusitis, Entzündungen, Rheuma, Leberbeschwerden und Gelbsucht. Viele dieser Anwendungsgebiete konnten in pharmakologischen Untersuchungen zumindest in vitro – teilweise auch in vivo, insbesondere bei Sinusitis – bestätigt werden. Phytochemisch wurden zahlreiche Triterpene, vor allem Cucurbitacine, isoliert, die mit der Wirkung in Verbindung gebracht werden.

Summary

Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. – Portrait of a medicinal plant

Ecballium elaterium, the squirting cucumber, from the Cucurbitaceae family, has been known in the Mediterranean area as a medicinal plant since antiquity. Extracts of the fruit are still used in different folk medicinal systems in the Mediterranean region, especially as a curative agent against sinusitis, inflammation, rheumatism, liver disorders and jaundice. Many of these indications could be confirmed by pharmacological studies at least in vitro, in part also in vivo, e.g. against sinusitis. Phytochemical analyses of the fruit extracts have led to the isolation of several triterpenoids, especially of a series of cucurbitacins, which explain at least in part the pharmacological activities.

Schlüsselwörter

Ecballium elaterium - Spritzgurke - Eselsgurke - Cucurbitaceae - Cucurbitacine - Sinusitis - Entzündungen - Leberbeschwerden

Key words

Ecballium elaterium - squirting cucumber - Cucurbitaceae - cucurbitacins - sinusitis - inflammation - liver disorder

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