Cucumis maderaspatanus
Cucumis maderaспаtanus, commonly known as the Madeira cucumber, is a climbing vine native to the Atlantic islands. Renowned for its medicinal properties, it is traditionally used to treat various ailments, including respiratory issues and skin inflammations. Its unique bioactive compounds offer significant potential for contemporary pharmacological research and development.
- Scientific name: Cucumis maderaspatanus
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Cucurbitaleales in the family Cucurbitaceae. Finally, it is placed within the genus Cucumis.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Cucurbitales | WCVP |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cucumis | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cucumis maderaepatanus, is referred to by various regional names across different languages. In Vietnamese, it is called Mukia maderaspatanus, while in Chinese, it is known as 帽儿瓜. In the South Indian languages of Malayalam and Tamil, it is commonly called മുക്കാപ്പിരി and முசுமுசுக்கை, respectively, and in Hausa, it is identified as Gautan zomo.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| vi | Mukia maderaspatana | Wikidata |
| zh | 帽儿瓜 | Wikidata |
| ml | മുക്കാപ്പിരി | Wikidata |
| ta | முசுமுசுக்கை | Wikidata |
| ha | Gautan zomo | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed throughout the West Tropical Africa region. Within this area, its presence has been specifically documented in the nation of Benin. It can also be found growing in the territories of Burkina and Gambia. Furthermore, the species extends its range into Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its geographical footprint includes the country of Guinea.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Cucumis maderapatanus, is a climbing vine that offers various therapeutic potential depending on the method of preparation. While the whole plant is often utilized in traditional medicinal practices to address a wide range of ailments, specific pharmacological studies frequently focus on the leaf extract. This extract is particularly valued for its concentrated bioactive compounds, which are studied for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cucumis maderaspatanus has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |