Ivy gourd

Related Terms

Chitooligosaccharide-specific lectin, Coccinia cordifolia, Coccinia grandis Voigt, Coccinia indica, Coccinia indica agglutinin (CIA), Coccinia indica Wight & Arn., Cucurbitaceae (family), ivy gourd, lectin, pectins, telakucha.
Select combination products: MTEC consists of an aqueous-methanol extract of Coccinia indica, Eugenia jambolana, Musa paradisiaca, and Tamarindus indica.

Background

Coccinia indica, also known as ivy gourd, is a tropical plant in the Cucurbitaceae family. It is an aggressive climbing vine that can spread quickly over trees, shrubs, and fences. The flower is large and white and contains five long, tubular petals. Ivy gourd grows well in India and Thailand, as well as in tropical areas such as Hawaii.
The roots, fruit, and leaves of Coccinia indica have been used for many medical conditions, including inflammation, asthma, cardiovascular disease (heart disease), and high cholesterol. Coccinia indica has mainly been studied as an antidiabetic agent. It has been shown to decrease blood sugar levels in humans and in animals.
There is a lack of high-quality studies of Coccinia indica for any other purpose besides managing diabetes.

Evidence Table

These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *


Coccinia indica has been shown to improve blood sugar levels in diabetics. However, more studies are needed before conclusions can be made.

 B


Coccinia indica has been shown to improve blood sugar levels in diabetics. However, more studies are needed before conclusions can be made.

 B
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)

Tradition / Theory

The below uses are based on tradition, scientific theories, or limited research. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. There may be other proposed uses that are not listed below.

Dosing

Adults (18 years and older)
To manage diabetes, one gram of Coccinia indica has been taken daily for 90 days, three tablets made from freeze-dried leaves has been taken twice daily for six weeks, and a dried extract of 500 micrograms per kilogram of body weight has been taken daily for six weeks.

Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Interactions

Interactions with Drugs
Coccinia indica may lower blood sugar levels. Caution is advised when using medications that may also lower blood sugar. People taking insulin or drugs for diabetes by mouth should be monitored closely by a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist. Medication adjustments may be necessary.
Coccinia indica may also interact with drugs that lower cholesterol.

Attribution

This information is based on a systematic review of scientific literature edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).

Bibliography

Azad Khan, A. K., AKhtar, S., and Mahtab, H. Coccinia indica in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 1979;5(2):60-66.
Chandrasekar, B., Mukherjee, B., and Mukherjee, S. K. Blood sugar lowering potentiality of selected Cucurbitaceae plants of Indian origin. Indian J Med Res 1989;90:300-305.
GUPTA, S. S. and VARIYAR, M. C. Experimental studies on pituitary diabetes. IV. Effect of Gymnema sylvestre and Coccinia indica against the hyperglycaemic response of somatotropin and corticotropin hormones. Indian J Med Res 1964;52:200-207.
Hossain, M. Z., Shibib, B. A., and Rahman, R. Hypoglycemic effects of Coccinia indica: inhibition of key gluconeogenic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase. Indian J Exp Biol 1992;30(5):418-420.
Kamble, S. M., Kamlakar, P. L., Vaidya, S., and Bambole, V. D. Influence of Coccinia indica on certain enzymes in glycolytic and lipolytic pathway in human diabetes. Indian J Med Sci 1998;52(4):143-146.
Khan, A. K., AKhtar, S., and Mahtab, H. Treatment of diabetes mellitus with Coccinia indica. Br Med J 4-12-1980;280(6220):1044.
Kumar, G. P., Sudheesh, S., and Vijayalakshmi, N. R. Hypoglycaemic effect of Coccinia indica: mechanism of action. Planta Med 1993;59(4):330-332.
Kuriyan, R., Rajendran, R., Bantwal, G., and Kurpad, A. V. Effect of supplementation of Coccinia cordifolia extract on newly detected diabetic patients. Diabetes Care 2008;31(2):216-220.
Mallick C, Chatterjee K, Mandal U, and Ghosh D. Protective effects of MTEC, a formulated herbal drug on glycemic indices and testicular dysfunctions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. J Herbs Spices Med Plant 2007;13(4):69-91.
Mallick, C., Mandal, S., Barik, B., Bhattacharya, A., and Ghosh, D. Protection of testicular dysfunctions by MTEC, a formulated herbal drug, in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat. Biol Pharm Bull 2007;30(1):84-90.
Pari, L. and Venkateswaran, S. Protective effect of Coccinia indica on changes in the fatty acid composition in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Pharmazie 2003;58(6):409-412.
Shibib, B. A., Khan, L. A., and Rahman, R. Hypoglycaemic activity of Coccinia indica and Momordica charantia in diabetic rats: depression of the hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and elevation of both liver and red-cell shunt enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Biochem J 5-15-1993;292 ( Pt 1):267-270.
Singh, N., Singh, S. P., Vrat, S., Misra, N., Dixit, K. S., and Kohli, R. P. A study on the anti-diabetic activity of Coccinia indica in dogs. Indian J Med Sci 1985;39(2):27-9, 42.
Venkateswaran, S. and Pari, L. Effect of Coccinia indica on blood glucose, insulin and key hepatic enzymes in experimental diabetes. Pharm Biol 2002;40(3):165-170.
Wasantwisut, E. and Viriyapanich, T. Ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis Voigt, Coccinia cordifolia, (Coccinia indica) in human nutrition and traditional applications. World Rev Nutr Diet 2003;91:60-66.