• NEHA RAMAKANT TARE
• MILIND THOMBARE
• PUJA VYAWARE
• Dr.RUPALI TASGOANKAR

Ash gourd, scientifically known as "Benincasa hispida," also called B. cerifera, is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and is sometimes referred to as wax gourd. The origins of B. hispida are attributed to Java and Japan, although it was extensively grown in warm climates. It is one of the most well-known crops, grown mostly for its fruits, and is well-known, especially in Asia, for its nutritional and medicinal qualities. It's a well-known vegetable example that has been utilized in both medicine and nutrition. Phytochemical analysis reveals that the main components of B. hispida fruits include volatile oils, flavonoids, saccharides, glycosides, vitamin, proteins, B-sitosterin, minerals, carotenes, and uronic acid. Pharmacological studies have revealed that this plant possesses a variety of pharmacological activities, including effects on the central nervous system (such as anxiolytic, antidepressant, and muscle relaxant), antioxidant, antiasthmatic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, nephroprotective, and antimicrobial properties. In this review, the pharmacological effects and chemical components of B. hispida were highlighted. This paper addresses the medical and therapeutic uses of this versatile fruit as one of the possible sources of bioactives for functional foods, as well as its cultivation, nutritional and chemical composition, and other related topics.

Cucurbitaece, wax gourd, phytochemical.

"NUTRITIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF BENINCASA HISPIDA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 5, page no.i152-i156, May-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2405821.pdf

"NUTRITIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF BENINCASA HISPIDA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 5, page no. ppi152-i156, May-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2405821.pdf