Medicinal Values of Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus)
Author: Hassan Abdullahi Dachia, Nigeria
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 indigenous 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 reportedly used as purgative and emetic in high dose, vermifuge, demulcent, diuretic and tonic. The seed is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections, bedwetting, dropsy and renal stones, alcohol poisoning, hypertension, diabetic, diarrhoea and gonorrhoea. This review unveils the current experimental research on its biological activities which substantiate its ethno medicinal claims