Medicinal Values on Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon): Pharmacological Review

Abstract

The use of herbal products is of global importance because of their low side effects, accessibility and affordability when compared with conventional medicine. Citrallus lanatus (water melon) is popular in ind igenous system of folk medicine and it is known to contain bioactive compounds such as cucurbitacin, triterpenes, sterols and alkaloids, vitamins, minerals. Traditionally Citrallus lanatus had been reported ly used as purgative and emetic in high dose, vermifuge, demulcent, diuretic and tonic. The seed is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections, bed wetting, dropsy and renal stones, alcohol poisoning, hypertension, diabetic, diarrhoea and gonorrhoea. This review unveils the current experimental re s earch on its biological activities which substantiate its ethno medicinal claims . Biological activities reviewed include; antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti- plasmodial, anti- inflammatory , anti-Prostatic Hyperplasia activity, antigiardial activity, anti-oxidant, analgesic properties,its effects on the histology of the kidney of adult Wistar rats, antisecretory, antidiabetic, laxative,antiulcerogenis and hepatoprotective activities. In view of its wide pharmacological and biological activities, it’ s traditiona lly reported therapeutic potential such as, antihypertensive, antidirrhoeal, as well as its in -depth toxicity studies, among others, are yet to be experimented. These should be put into consideration in current researches.