Snake Cucumber – Uses, Remedies, Medicinal Qualities

Dr Renita D’Souza
Snake cucumber is a natural coolant and a good source of vitamins C, A, K, and potassium. It is diuretic and used mainly in urinary and kidney problems. There are different varieties of snake cucumber. It is the most preferable fruit during summer which can be cooked or eaten raw. This fruit looks and tastes like common cucumber.
Read – Cucumber: Cucumis Sativus Benefits, Research, Remedies, Side Effects

Botanical Name – Cucumis utilissimus Roxb.
Synonym – Cucumis melo var. flexuosus
Family – Cucurbitaceae

Vernacular Name

English Name – Armenian cucumber, Snake cucumber, Yard-long cucumber, Snake melon
Sanskrit Name – Karkati
Hindi Name – Kakdi, Kakkri
Bengali Name – Kamkura, Kakur
Marathi Name – Kamkdi
Punjabi Name – Kakri
Tamil Name – Vellarikai, Kakkarikkaay
Telugu Name – Kharbujadosa
Malayalam Name – Kakkarikka
Kannada Name – Southe
Unani – Kakari
Japanese Name – uri
Turkish Name – Acur
Read – Muskmelon (Kharbuja) – Qualities, Uses, Remedies, Research, Side Effects

Medicinal Qualities, Uses

Raw Armenian Cucumber

Taste – sweet
Potency (virya) – cold
Ruksha – dry in nature
Grahini – absorbent in nature, constipating
Guru – heavy in nature
Ruchya – improves taste
Jwarapradam – increases fever

Effect on Tridoshas
Balances pitta dosha
Increases vata and kapha

Uses
Krichnaghna – relieves dysuria
Santaapa – relieves burning sensation
Murcha – relieves giddiness
Read – Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) – Uses, Remedies, Research, Side Effects

Ripe Armenian cucumber

Virya (potency) – hot
Increases thirst and digestive fire
Effect on Doshas
Increases pitta dosha

Leaves

Snake cucumber leaves helps to relieve Praseka (excess salivation) and Kleda (moistness)

Seeds

Ervaru seeds are coolant, diuretic and improves physical strength. They are used in dysuria (mutrakrichra) and obstruction of urine (mutraghata).
Read – Phut (Snapmelon) – Medicinal Qualities, Uses, Research

Remedies

• Leaves ash is used to clear excess mucus
• In dysuria and obstruction of urine, 4 parts of seeds, 1 part of Daruhaldi and muleti are pounded together and consumed with rice gruel.
• Indigestion caused by excess consumption of wheat is cured by karkati (snake melon) and purified belladonna seeds.
• A drink prepared of the seeds of Ervaru, Trapusa (Cucumis sativus) and Kusumbha (Carthamus tinctorius) mixed with the Kunkuma and Vasa along with Grape juice is exceedingly beneficial in urinary Calculus, Graveluria and all types of dysuria.
  Read – 120 Remedies For Indigestion Caused By Specific Foods

Sanskrit Verses

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most of the dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Morphology, Distribution

Morphology
Cucumis utilissimus Roxb is an annual climber grows up to 76 to 91 cm long. Flowers are yellow in color. Fruits are slender, elongated, curved, 30 to 38 cm long and often irregularly curled. Its skin is thin, dark to light green in color, smooth or present with longitudinal furrows and green stripes. Fruit is similar like common cucumber crisp, succulent and sweet. (read)

Distribution

Snake cucumber has its origin in Middle East, Asia and northern Africa.
(read)

Ayurveda Medicines

Utract Capsule – Used in the treatment of recurrent UTI complaints, renal calculi and crystalluria.
Dadhika Ghrita – Used in the treatment of epilepsy, toxic conditions, dysuria, ascites, malabsorption syndrome, bloating, etc.
Shatavari Ghrita (Shatavaryadi Ghrita) – useful in treating urinary tract diseases, difficulty in urination, gonorrhoea and calculi.
Maharajaprasarini Thailam – Used in neurological diseases like neuritis, neuralgia, paralysis and skeleto muscular complaints like arthritis, muscular dystrophy, myalgia, etc
Vastyamayantaka Ghrita – Used in the treatment of difficulty in urination, urinary calculi, diabetes etc

Sanskrit Synonyms

Ervaaru, Karkati
Lomashi, Vyalapatra,Brihatphala
Gajadanta phala,Toyaphala, Urvaru

Classical Categorization

Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Shaaka varga
Kaiyadeva Nighantu – Aushadhi varga
Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyaadi varga
Raja Nighantu – Moolakhaadi varga
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