Author(s):

Dr. Alia Amin and Dr. Sadia Hussain

Abstract: Citrullus colocynthis (CCT) is a medicinal herb known for its multiple pharmaceutical actions. The trend of its use in therapeutics and research has been increased over the time. It is very important to know its toxicity potential as it is being marketed in many areas of the world. The objective of this review was to evaluate the hepatic effects of CCT. For review, original research papers were searched using primary sources available on selected data bases and using specific key terms followed by a manual search into the secondary sources like review articles and books. The bibliographies of all the selected articles or review papers were searched manually to find the relevant literature. Literature shows conflicting data regarding hepatic effect of Citrullus colocynthis. It can be hepatotoxic when used in higher doses or longer durations. It is safer when given in small (50-100mg/kg) doses and small duration. Seed extracts are better tolerated than pulp by the experimental animals. However, further research is needed to identify and evaluate the hepatotoxic constituents of CCT. Inspite of the growing evidence regarding its medicinal value, there is dearth of any review of the hepatic effects of Colocynth reported to date. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the hepatic protection or toxicity offered by Citrullus colocynthis.

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