Luffa cylindrica (LC) is an annual climbing crop with a long history of traditional medicinal uses in many countries, especially in the tropical & subtropical regions. The plant has been known from ancient times for its curative properties & has been utilized for treatment of various elements such as toothache, pharyngitis, rhinitis, mastitis, oedema, swellings, burns, cold, asthma, blood disorders, migraine, liver diseases, skin disorders and as antitumour, cathartic, emetic and diuretic. A wide range of chemical constituents such as tannins, triterpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids has been isolated from this species. Various extracts of LC have been reported to possess pharmacological activities such as ribosome inactivating, antiproliferative, teratogenic, anti-tumour, antifungal, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, oxytocic, antiallergic and antiviral activity. This contribution provides comprehensive review for ethnomedical uses, chemical constituents & the pharmacological profile of LC as medicinal plant. The objective of this review is to show the potentialities of LC that is virtually found around the globe. Recent major advances and discoveries will be considered.
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