CUCUMBERS ARE FAVOURITES

CUCUMBERS
Cucumber is one of the oldest vegetable plants ever known in history. It is a berry consumed wholly or sliced and eaten with rice and salads in Nigerian cuisines. Many know little about its abundant nutritive and medicinal properties. Hence, this article is aimed at exposing these benefits of cucumber so as to encourage its consumption and further studies into its benefits. Enjoy reading…

Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus (Cucubitaceae)
Origin: India (Asia) and some parts of middle east.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERS:
Cucumbers are classified as berries. They appear as short thick little fruits, roughly cylindrical, and elongated with tapered ends. Size ranges from 10-50cm in length and 10m in diameter. Colours range from green to pale yellow and whitish. Some berries have longitudinal stripes.
Cucumbers are annual plants. Leaves are hairy and have 3-5 lobes
Their taste ranges from watery taste to sweet when ripe.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
Presence of water (90%), glycosides, terpinoids, phytosterols, saponins and angolignan B, tanins, ellargic acid, glucose, fructose, palmitic acid, etc.
Presence of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals such as potassium, manganese, magnesium, sulphur, silica, B-carotene, etc…

USES:
Proximate analysis and other analytical methods have shown that cucumber is rich in water, proteins, carbohydrate, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, B and C and crude fibres. The presence of vitamins A, B and C, minerals like Potassium, Magnesium and silicon as well as water makes cucumber, a healthy tonic for the skin and a stimulant for hair growth.

The high water content and low calorie in cucumber helps the fruit to aid digestion, treat constipation, and promote weight loss.

The presence of silica contributes to the proper structure of the body’s connective tissues.

Cucumbers are rich in vitamin c, B-carotene, and Manganese. Thus they are beneficial as antioxidants (aqueous fruit extract has shown free radicals scavenging and analgesic activities) and help reduce unwanted inflammation. The acetone extract of Cucumis seeds possess good anti-inflammatory properties.

Sterols are present in cucumber which helps to reduce bad cholesterol.

The high content of Magnesium, potassium, silicon and sulphur minerals promotes good regulation of body temperature and blood pressure.

Used in ancient times to dissolve stones caused by uric acid and to cleanse the kidneys, intestines, lungs and skin. The fruit juice of the cucumber plant is used as a demulcent in anti-acne lotions.

Used to cure headaches, bleeding, dizziness and pale skin

Cucumber fruits are used as laxatives (purgatives), astringents, anthelminthics (worm expellers), and antipyretics. Thus, they find use in the treatment of hepatitis, dyspepsia, bronchitis, asthma, coughs and hoarseness of voice, eye diseases and scorpion sting. They are also used as a hair tonic.

Cucumber with peel extract has a bacteriocidal property against Salmonella spp., the bacteria that cause typhoid fever.

The pulp of the fruit is used in dysentric-diarhoea, dropsy, piles and leprosy.

The fruits are used to manage menstrual disorders

The seed oil of cucumbers finds use in rheumatism.

Cucumber plant has been found to possess antifungal properties comparable to Griseofulvin.

Its ethanolic extract has shown cytotoxic, hypolipidaemic and hypoglycaemic activities.

Aqueous extract of the fruit pulp possesses carminative and antacid properties comparable to standard Sodium bicarbonate, and a significant activity against ulcerative colitis.

REFERENCES:
Gopalakrishan S., and Kalaiarasi T. (2013). Determination of biologically active constituents of the fruits of Cucumis sativus Linn.. using GC-MS analysis. International Journal of Biological & Pharmaceutical Research. 4(7): 523-527.

Jyoti D. Vora, Lakshmi Rane, Swetha Ashok Kumar. (2014). Biochemical, Anti-microbial and organoleptic studies of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus). International Journal of Science and Research. 3(3):662-664

Kumar, D., Kumar, S., Singh J., Narender, Rashmi, Vathista BD, and Singh N. (2010). Free radical scavenging and analgesic activities of Cucumis sativus L. fruit extract. Journal of young pharmacists. 2(4):365-368

Mallik Jony, Priyanka Das, Sourav Das (2013). Pharmacological activity of Cucumis sativus L. – A Complete overview. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development. 1(1): 1-6.

Vetriselvan S., Subasini U., Velmurugan C., Muthuramu T., Shankar Jothi, Revathy. (2013). Anti-inflammatory activity of Cucumis sativus seed in carrageenan and xylene induced edema model using albino wistar rats. International Journal of Biopharmaceutics. 4(1):34-37.

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COMPILED BY:
Pharm. Ebirim Joseph O.
Editor, Pharma-Guide Nigeria