Changes

Some ''Acanthosicyos naudinianus'' plants produce bitter fruits. The bitter taste is attributed to cucurbitacin B (c. 0.001%). Fruits contain per 100 g:: water 90.6 g, energy 111 kJ (27 kcal), protein 1.3 g, fat 0.2 g, carbohydrate 4.8 g, fibre 2.1 g, Ca 21 mg, Mg 23 mg, P 25 mg, Fe 0.5 mg, thiamin 0.09 mg, riboflavin 0.03 mg, niacin 0.98 mg and ascorbic acid 35 mg (Arnold, T.H., Wells, M.J. & Wehmeyer, A.S., 1985). The seed kernel yields c. 15% thin, yellow non-drying oil, and the residue contains c. 20% protein. In the older roots the total content of cucurbitacins amounts to 1.4%. Cucurbitacins, which are also known from other ''Cucurbitaceae'' and various other plant species, exhibit cytotoxicity (including antitumour activity) and anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities.

Perennial, dioecious, scandent herb with solitary, spiniform tendrils; root tuberous, up to 1 m long; stem annual, up to 6 m long, rooting at the nodes, glabrescent. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules absent; petiole 0.7–7.5 cm long; blade ovate to broadly ovate in outline, usually deeply palmately 5-lobed, 3–18 cm × 2.5–14 cm. Flowers solitary, unisexual, 5-merous; petals yellow to white, 1.4–2.5 cm × 0.9–1.3 cm; male flowers with pedicel up to 2 cm long, receptacle campanulate, up to 6 mm long, pale green, sepals up to 6 mm × 1.5 mm, stamens 3 or 5; female flowers with pedicel up to 8 cm long, receptacle cylindrical, 3 mm long, sepals 3–4 mm long, 3 small staminodes, ovary inferior, spiny. Fruit an ellipsoid or subglobose berry 6–12 cm × 4–8 cm, weight c. 250 g, fleshy, covered with seta-tipped fleshy spines, many-seeded. Seeds ellipsoid, slightly compressed, 7.5–10 mm × 4–6 mm.