Ecballium elaterium

Ecballium elaterium

The squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich.) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Magnoliophyta division,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Violal Order,
Family Cucurbitaceae,
Genus Ecballium,
E. elaterium species.
The term is basionym:
Momordica elaterium L.
The terms are synonyms:
– Bryonia elaterium (L.) E.H.L.Krause;
– Cucumis agrestis Blackw. ex Rchb.;
– Ecballium agreste Rchb.;
– Ecballium officinale T.Nees;
– Ecballium officinarum Rich. ex M.Roem.;
– Ecballium officinarum Bubani, 1899;
– Ecballium purgans Schrad.;
– Elaterium cordifolium Moench;
– Momordica aspera Lam.;
– Momordica ecirrhata Stokes;
– Momordica elastica Salisb..
Two subspecies are recognized within this species:
– Ecballium elaterium subsp. dioicum (Batt.) Costich;
– Ecballium elaterium subsp. elaterium.

Etymology –
The term Ecballium comes from the Greek ἐκβάλλειν ekbállein, to throw: in reference to the characteristic of ripe fruits that vigorously expel the seeds by throwing them far away.
Even the specific epithet elaterium comes from the Greek ἐλᾰτήριος elaterio, which expels: for the fruits which, when ripe, expel the seeds with a powerful jet.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Ecballium elaterium is an annual plant with a Euro-Mediterranean distribution.
It is present throughout the Mediterranean, with the exception of Egypt, and eastwards up to Moldavia, Ukraine and the Caucasus.
In Italy it is present in almost all regions but more common in Mediterranean Italy and adventitious in many northern regions.
Its habitat is warm, dry places on wasteland and roadsides, usually near the coast. In fact, it grows in ruderal vegetation such as landfills and roadsides, in sunny sites and on soils rich enough in nitrogenous compounds, dry in summer, with optimum in the Mediterranean area.

Description –
Ecballium elaterium is a perennial herbaceous plant, up to 50 cm tall and more, which produces one or more prostrate, bristly and warty stems.
The flowering branches are ascending.
The leaves have an elongated petiole and an oval or heart-shaped lamina (3-7 x 4-10 cm), with an acute apex and a crinkled and serrated margin on the edge.
The flowers are small, unisexual, yellow-white, with calyx and corolla divided into 5 lobes.
The flowering period is between May and October.
The fruit is a pysdium of 3-4.5 x 1.5-2 mm, ovoid or ellipsoid, with explosive dehiscence.
The seeds are mucilaginous, oblong, flattened, black when ripe.

Cultivation –
Ecballium elaterium is a perennial herbaceous plant that usually settles on the ground.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.
It is sometimes grown for medicinal use and in gardens as a curiosity.
In warmer climates it can become a weed, so much so that it is subject to weed control in Australia.
It is a plant found mainly in Mediterranean climates and can only be grown outdoors in the milder regions of the temperate zone.
It is a plant that tolerates frost poorly even if the roots manage to survive lower temperatures.
For this reason, in colder regions it is recommended to cover the soil with vegetable mulch, allowing the plant to withstand a greater cold. However, the plant suffers more from excessive winter humidity.
For cultivation it requires a well drained moist soil and in a sunny position.
It is a plant that can grow in poor soils but thrives in more organic soils.
This plant has long been cultivated for some of its medicinal properties, a practice abandoned over time.
Its salient feature, to which the scientific name is linked, is that its ripening fruits are gradually filled with liquid with an increase in pressure. When ripe, this pressure forces the fruit to detach itself explosively from the plant, expelling its seeds at a considerable distance, which can even reach over 12 metres.
There are two main forms of this plant, distinguished by the flowers. One produces monoecious flowers (male and female flowers are separate but both are on the same plant), while the other produces dioecious flowers (each plant produces either all male or all female flowers).
In cultivation, propagation can be by seed, with sowing in early spring in a rich compost. It is advisable to place 2-3 seeds per pot or in the ground to then let the more vigorous plant grow.
The seed usually germinates in 10 – 21 days at 25°C.

Customs and Traditions –
This plant is the only species of the genus Ecballium.
It is a plant of ancient medicinal use, but it contains various alkaloids which make it toxic.
In ancient times Theophrastus recommended the use of the root to combat scabies in sheep.
This plant turns out to be toxic in large quantities.
The juice of the fruit is considered toxic, affecting the respiratory, cardiac and gastric systems as well as any mucous membranes it comes into contact with.
Despite this it has been used as a medicinal plant for over 2000 years, although it has a very violent effect on the body and currently has little use in modern herbalism.
In medicine, the plant is best known for its high content of cucurbitacins, which can provide the species with various biological activities. The highest concentration of cucurbitacins is found in fruits, followed by stems and leaves. In addition to cucurbitacins, the species contains other important compounds, which may also enhance its biological activities.
There has been considerable research interest in this plant’s potential for medicinal use. Studies suggest that it has various beneficial effects, including hepatoprotective and neuroprotective activities as well as a beneficial effect on sepsis-induced lung injury. The protective activity may be due to its ability to reduce abdominal adhesion and may be a useful tool for anti-inflammatory activity in the prevention of postoperative peritoneal adhesion.
The seeds contain a specific polypeptide, actually a protease inhibitor, which acts specifically against trypsin, being one of the most potent trypsin inhibitors.
Cucurbitacin E is not only being studied for its cytotoxic effect, but also for its ability to stimulate the immune system, which may be vital for possible antitumor activity. At the same time, it appears to have minor cytotoxic effects on normal cell lines.
The juice of the fruit is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antirheumatic, cardiac, cytotoxic and purgative.
The plant is a very powerful purgative which causes the evacuation of water from the bowels.
It is used internally in the treatment of edema associated with kidney disorders, heart problems, rheumatism, paralysis and shingles.
The plant is also traditionally used as a treatment for ear infections, sinusitis, malarial fever, headache or sinusitis, and rheumatism.
The juice, applied externally, has been used to treat sinusitis and joint pain. However this remedy should be used with great caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Excessive doses have caused gastroenteritis and even death. It also should not be used by pregnant women as it can cause miscarriage.
The root contains an analgesic principle.
Among other uses, it is reported that the cucurbitacins present in the composition of this species (mainly cucurbitacin D and cucurbitacin I) can play an important role in the defense mechanisms of the plant. For example, they are active against Botrytis cinerea Pers., due to inhibition of laccase formation.
Leaf extracts exhibit potent insecticidal activity which may be a result of the plant’s internal defense mechanisms. This is also the main reason for the possibility of using plant extracts to inhibit the germination or growth of some other plant species.

Method of Preparation –
Ecballium elaterium is a plant used and also cultivated for medicinal purposes whose use has decreased over time.
It was the usual practice to harvest the fully grown but unripe fruit during the summer and leave it in containers until the contents were squeezed out and the juice was collected and then dried for later use.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/202644434/original.jpeg

Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.