Momordica cochinchinensis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng.

Protologue: Syst. veg. 3: 14 (1826).

Synonyms

• Muricia cochinchinensis Lour. (1790),
• Momordica mixta Roxb. (1832),
• Momordica meloniflora Hand.-Mazz. (1921).

Vernacular names

• Sweet gourd, spiny bitter cucumber, giant spine gourd (En).
• Muricie (Fr)
• Indonesia: pupia (Malay, Moluccas), torobuk, toropu (North Halmahera)
• Malaysia: teruah
• Philippines: buyok-buyok (Tagalog), paruk-paruk (Ilocano), taboguak (Bikol)
• Cambodia: makkao
• Laos: khua mak 'khao², cup 'khoa²'nhai¹
• Thailand: fak-khao (central), phak-khao (northern), khika-khrua (southern)
• Vietnam: dây gấc (general), trái gấc, mộc miết tử.

Distribution

M. cochinchinensis is found wild and cultivated from India to Indo-China, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, scattered throughout the Malesian region (reported from Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Sulawesi, Bali and the Moluccas, but probably present elsewhere as well) and in northern Australia (Cape York peninsula).

Uses

See under genus treatment for the numerous medicinal uses. The immature fruits are a well-known vegetable. The seeds contain an oil which is used as an illuminant in Indo-China and may be applied in the formulation of paint and varnishes. The roots froth in water and may be used as a soap and to kill head lice. In Vietnam the aril of the seeds is used as a colouring agent for rice, called "steamed momordica glutinous rice".

Observations

• A dioecious, perennial vine arising from a tuberous root; stem robust, angular, tendrils simple.
• Leaf blade suborbicular in outline, 12-20 cm in diameter, deeply palmately 3(-5)-lobed, cordate and with some glands at base, lobes subovate with entire or subdentate margins, glabrous, petiole with 2-5 glands near the middle.
• Flowers solitary, about 8 cm in diameter, yellow, but blackish at base inside; male flowers on a peduncle 5-30 cm long bearing an apical, suborbicular, sessile bract, 3-4 cm × 4-5 cm, pedicel 3-10 mm long; female flowers similar but with a smaller bract.
• Fruit 10-20 cm × 6-10 cm, yellow, turning red at maturity, densely covered with small tubercles.
• Seeds about 25 mm × 20 mm × 5 mm, brown, testa sculptured.

M. cochinchinensis is locally abundant in forest margins, along rivers, in open places, and in disturbed locations, at low altitudes.

Selected sources

• [169] Bolognesi, A., Barbieri, L., Carnicelli, D., Abbondanza, A., Cenini, P., Falasca, A.I., Dinota, A. & Stirpe, F., 1989. Purification and properties of a new ribosome-inactivating protein with RNA N-glycosidase activity suitable for immunotoxin preparation from the seeds of Momordica cochinchinensis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 993(2-3): 287-292.
• [287] Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1948-1976. The wealth of India: a dictionary of Indian raw materials & industrial products. 11 volumes. Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi, India.
• [363] Doan Thi Nhu, Nguyen Thuong Thuc, Do Huy Bich & Vu Thuy Huyen (Editors), 1991. Les plants médicinales au Vietnam. Livre 1. Médicine traditionelle et pharmacopée [The medicinal plants of Vietnam. Volume 1. Traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia]. Agence de coopération Culturelle et Technique, Paris, France. 201 pp.
• [721] Keraudren-Aymonin, M., 1975. Cucurbitacées [Cucurbitaceae]. In: Vidal, J.E. & Galibert, Y. (Editors): Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam [Flora of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam]. Vol. 15. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 123 pp.
• [776] Kosuge, T., 1985. Studies on antitumour activities and antitumour principles of Chinese herbs. Yakugaku Zasshi 105(8): 791-795. (in Japanese)
• [1000] Nagao, Y., Fujioka, S., Tsukui, M. & Matsuoka,T., 1977. Studies on breeding and cultivation of medicinal plants. Part 2. The cultivation and the quality of Momordica cochinchinensis. Journal of the Takeda Research Laboratory 36(3-4): 193-199.
• [1024] Ng, T.B., Chan, W.Y. & Yeung, H.W., 1992. Proteins with abortifacient ribosome inactivating immunomodulatory antitumor and anti-AIDS activities from Cucurbitaceae plants. General Pharmacology 23(4): 575-590.
• [1026] Ng, T.B., Li, W.W. & Yeung, H.W., 1986. A steryl glycoside fraction with hemolytic activity from tubers of Momordica cochinchinensis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 18(1): 55-62.
• [1035] Nguyen Van Duong, 1993. Medicinal plants of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Mekong Printing, Santa Ana, California, United States. 528 pp.
• [1128] Pételot, A., 1952-1954. Les plantes médicinales du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam [The medicinal plants of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam]. 4 volumes. Centre National de Recherches Scientifiques et Techniques, Saigon, Vietnam.
• [1178] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
• [1216] Reyes, M.E.C., Gildemacher, B.H. & Jansen, G.J., 1993. Momordica L. In: Siemonsma, J.S. & Kasem Piluek (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 8. Vegetables. Pudoc Scientific Publishers, Wageningen, the Netherlands. pp. 206-210.
• [1223] Rez-Ul-Jilal, Jabbar, A. & Hasan, C.M., 1986. Hypoglycemic activities of the glycosides of Momordica cochinchinensis. Journal of the Bangladesh Academy of Science 10(1): 25-30.
• [1443] Telford, I.R., 1982. Cucurbitaceae. In: George, A.S. (Editor): Flora of Australia. Vol. 8. Lecythidales to Batales. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, Australia. pp. 158-198.
• [1629] Yeung, H.W., Ng, T.B., Wong, N.S. & Li, W.W., 1987. Isolation and characterization of an abortifacient protein momorcochin from root tubers of Momordica cochinchinensis, family Cucurbitaceae. International Journal of Peptide and Protein Research 30(1): 135-140.

Main genus page

• Momordica (Medicinal plants)

• See also Momordica (PROSEA Vegetables) as Vegetable.

Authors

• Nguyen Huu Hien & Sri Hayati Widodo