Cucumis Maderaspatanus L.: Ethnomedicinal Significance, Phytochemical Diversity, Pharmacological Activity, Toxicological Perspectives, and Drug Discovery Potential

Abstract

Cucumis maderaspatanus L., frequently discussed in the literature under the synonym Mukia maderaspatana, is a medicinal plant of the Cucurbitaceae family with a broad history of traditional use and increasing experimental interest. This review consolidates available evidence on its botanical identity, ethnomedicinal relevance, phytochemical composition, extraction and analytical methods, pharmacological activities, safety information, and drug-discovery potential. Peer-reviewed reports describing Cucumis maderaspatanus and Mukia maderaspatana were considered, with emphasis on chromatographic and spectrometric investigations using GC–MS, HPLC, HPTLC, LC–MS/LC–MS/MS, FTIR, and UV–Vis. The reported phytochemical profile includes phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins and terpenoids, with compounds such as saponarin, gallic acid, rutin, quercetin-like constituents and myricetin receiving particular attention. Experimental studies describe antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic and gastroprotective effects, with additional reports of other biological activities. However, evidence is heterogeneous and is dominated by in vitro and preliminary animal studies. Major limitations include inconsistent extraction procedures, incomplete marker standardization, limited mechanistic evidence and insufficient long-term toxicological data. Future work should establish validated quality-control markers, clarify active constituents and pathways, and strengthen pharmacokinetic and safety evaluation before therapeutic development.