Tukhm e Sholangi | Lollipop climber | تخم شولنگی

English: Indian bryony, Lollipop climber
Hindi: Gargumaru, Ishwara lingi, shivalingi

Latin: Bryonia laciniosa linn

Urdu: Sholangi

Bryonia laciniosa is also known by the name of 'Shivlingi'.

In Greek, the word Bryonia means 'to sprout' which refers to the vigorous growth of herbaceous stem. It is an annual plant that is distributed throughout India, Philippines and some parts of Africa. It is categorized under Vrishya Rasayana in the Ayurvedic medicinal system. It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae.

The plant is mainly used for medicinal purposes. Traditionally, the shivlingi plant is used to treat inflammation, inducing diuresis and as a tonic.

The plant parts are also used to treat bronchitis, cholera, carbuncles, colic, convulsions, cough, delirium, fertility, paralysis and snakebite.

The seeds of the plant are used to cure sterility, female infertility, oligospermia, constipation, diabetes, obesity and weight loss. The fruits of the plant are used to treat leukoderma, abdominal disease and inflammation. Also, the roots of the plant are associated with kidney stone removal, diuretic, antitumor and hepatoprotective properties.

The plant holds a significant value in pharmacology as well. It is associated with various therapeutic potential such as antipyretic, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-oxidant, spermatogenic, aphrodisiac, fertility booster and is used as a uterine tonic.

However, the plant is considered as an endangered species due to its overexploitation by the people for medicinal purpose.

Botanical Description

Bryonia laciniosa belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. It is an undershrub climber consists of various tendrils. The stem of the plant is grooved, slender, glabrous and heavily branched with a bad foul smell. The leaves of the plant are simple, alternate, 10-15 cm long and about as broad, membranous, smooth, scabrid and green, deeply cordate at base, acute, 5 lanceolate. Tendrils are striated, glabrous and slender. Petioles are 2.5-3.7 cm long. Both male and female flowers are present that are regular and green-pale-yellow. Male flowers are quite distinct, contain 3 stamens and 3-6 small fascicles. Female flowers are few, formed in cluster, solitary in the same axils with 5 petals that are fused about ¼ way up, acute, pubescent and with oval-oblong segments. The calyx is 205 mm long, glabrous, teeth subulate. Corolla is oblong, acute, pubescent and 3-4 mm long. Fruits are smooth, globose, subsessile, 1.8 to 2.5 cm in diameter, green with white blotched stripes in unripe form and turn to bright red-orange color when mature. Seeds are yellowish-brown and 5-6 mm long

Phytochemical constituents of B. laciniosa

The main chemical constituent present in the plant is Bryonin. The seeds of the plant contain saponin molecules, flavonoids, phenolic acids, sugars, punicic acid, goniothalamin and gluccomannan. The polysaccharides and fatty acids were isolated from the pulp part of the plant . These polysaccharides include d-glucose, d-mannose and L-arabinose in the ratio of 5:3:4. However, detailed studies on the phytochemical screening of the plant is not reported yet. Figure no. 2 represents the phytochemical structures of B. laciniosa plant.