Luffa

Generic name: Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb., Luffa Aegyptiaca Mill., Luffa Cylindrica (L.) M. Roem., Luffa Operculata (L.) Cogn.
Brand names: Buchinha-do-norte, Dishcloth Gourd, Loofah, Luffa, Smooth Loofah, Sponge Gourd, Vegetable Sponge

Usage of Luffa

Clinical data evaluating luffa use for any indication were not identified.

Anti-inflammatory activity

Animal data

Intraperitoneal administration of a water decoction of L. cylindrica inhibited carrageenan-induced plantar edema in rats, suggesting anti-inflammatory activity.Muthumani 2010

Antimicrobial effects

Animal and in vitro data

L. operculata alcoholic extracts showed antibacterial activity in bacterial cell cultures of upper respiratory tract infection staphylococcal and streptococcal pathogens.Scalia 2015 Luffacylin, a ribosome-inactivating peptide found in luffa, inhibited Mycosphaerella arachidicola and Fusarium oxysporum in vitro.Parkash 2002

A study evaluated the effect of topically applied (intranasal) aqueous extract of L. operculata in bacterial rhinosinusitis in rabbits. L. operculata treatment showed better clinical evolution than the control group, with a statistically significant difference reported based on symptomology, histological evaluation of inflammation, and bacterial (ie, Streptococcus pyogenes) growth.Silva 2018

Antioxidant activity

In vitro data

Antioxidant activity has been reported in studies using L. cylindrica seedArise 2019 and L. acutangula and L. cylindrica gourd peel extracts.Du 2006, Swetha 2016, Yadav 2016 In one report, water extracts from fresh sponge gourds exhibited more than 80% inhibition of nitric oxide generation stimulated by lipopolysaccharide.Bor 2006, Thayyil 2011

Anxiolytic effects

Animal data

A lyophilized aqueous extract of L. operculata fruit was reported to be anxiolytic in one study in rats.Alves 2018

Bone formation

In vitro data

L. cylindrica fruit fiber has been evaluated for use as a nanofiber scaffold with bone regenerative applications.Mary Stella 2019

Cancer

In vitro data

In vitro studies have reported on apoptotic and other cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines, including with aqueous-ethanol L. cylindrica leaf extract,Abdel-Salam 2018, Abdel-Salam 2019, Abdel-Salam 2019 L. cylindrica seed protein,He 2018 methanol L. cylindrica fruit extract,Hlel 2017 aerial parts of L. acutangula,Ramar 2016, Vanajothi 2015, Vanajothi 2016 and a methanolic extract of the wild luffa species Luffa echinata.Shang 2016

Diabetes

Animal and in vitro data

A study investigated the effect of oral ethanolic extracts of L. aegyptiaca seeds on blood glucose levels in healthy rats and rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. In the diabetic group, L. aegyptiaca reduced glucose levels with potency similar to that of the biguanide metformin.El-Fiky 1996

An in vitro study reported alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity of an L. cylindrica seed extract.Arise 2019

Dyslipidemia

Animal data

Luffa has shown hypolipidemic and cholesterol-reducing activity in animal models.Thayyil 2011 In a study of rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia, a methanolic extract of L. aegyptiaca fruits (300 mg/kg/day) reduced serum total cholesterol by 29%, triglycerides by 52%, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 22%; it also increased serum high-density lipoprotein by 38%.Thayyil 2011

Similarly, a study of mice fed a high-fat diet supplemented with fermented green luffa fruit showed positive effects on dyslipidemia.Shikano 2019 In another study of a mouse model of obesity and associated metabolic disorders (induced by a high-fat diet), L. cylindrica supplementation resulted in improvements in hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and GI inflammation.Zhang 2019

Hepatoprotective activity

Animal data

Hepatoprotective activity of fruit and leaf extracts has been reported in rats.Shendge 2018

Luffa side effects

Luffa fruit is commonly consumed as a vegetable and generally considered safe when used as food, or when used directly on the skin as a sponge (fully developed fruit).Jiang 2014 However, information regarding adverse reactions with doses higher than those typically consumed as food is lacking.

A case report describes GI bleeding, altered liver function, and shock following consumption of dried fruits of L. echinata that had been soaked overnight in water.Giri 2014

Before taking Luffa

Luffa should not be used in pregnancy. Certain luffa species, including L. operculata and L. acutangula, have been associated with abortifacient activity.Alves 2018, Shendge 2018 However, among pregnant women in Sierra Leone, L. acutangula was named as useful in urinary tract infections and edema during pregnancy.James 2018

Preclinical models suggest the plant is fetotoxic; reduced fetal weight was reported in one study of pregnant rats administered L. acutangula fruit tea.Shendge 2018

How to use Luffa

Information is insufficient to determine an appropriate dosing range for luffa.

Warnings

In a toxicological study in rats, L. aegyptiaca fruit extract doses ranging from 100 to 2,000 mg did not result in mortality.Thayyil 2011

Most studies evaluating toxicity of L. acutangula (including histological studies and laboratory indices) report safety of extracts. The median lethal dose of fruit extracts ranges from 350 mg/kg of body weight (ether extract) up to 2 g/kg (ethanolic) and 4 g/kg (aqueous and methanol extracts).Shendge 2018

Reduced fetal weight was observed in one study of pregnant rats administered tea made from L. acutangula fruit.Shendge 2018

L. operculata fruit aqueous extract produced changes in seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells of rats, indicative of testicular toxicity.Alves 2018 No histological toxicity (liver, kidney, spleen, heart, brain, or lungs) was observed in rabbit models of rhinosinusitis given L. operculata aqueous extract for 30 days.Silva 2018

What other drugs will affect Luffa

An in vitro study reported angiotensin I–converting enzyme inhibitory activity of an extract from L. cylindrica seeds; however, the clinical significance of this finding is unknown.Arise 2019

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