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Common Name:

General Information

Trichosanthes kirilowii japonica is a Perennial Climber up to 6.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Japan.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a rich well-drained soil and plenty of moisture in the growing season[, ].
Sometimes cultivated in Japan for its edible fruit and medicinal uses, it is not winter hardy in Britain and usually requires greenhouse cultivation. However, it may be possible to grow it as a spring-sown annual in a very warm sheltered bed outdoors[].

Edible Uses

Fruit. Preserved in salt or made into a gruel[]. The young fruits are pickled[]. The pulp of older fruits is eaten[]. Mature fruits are about 10cm long[].
Leaves and young shoots - cooked and used as a vegetable[, ].
An edible starch is obtained from the root[]. It requires leeching[]. The root is harvested in the autumn, cut into thick slices, soaked for 4 - 5 days in water, changing the water daily until the root disintegrates and can be mashed into a fine pulp. It is then steamed into cakes or used for making dumplings[, , ]. The starch is mixed with wheat or rice flour and made into crackers, dumplings, noodles etc[].
An edible oil is obtained from the seed[].

Medicinal

This plant is closely related to T. kirilowii, which is commonly used in Chinese herbalism. This plant almost certainly has the same properties which are:-

This plant is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[]. Recent research has isolated a protein called 'trichosanthin' in the roots and this is undergoing trials as a possible remedy for AIDS[].
Skin, vulnerary[, ].
The leaf and the stem are febrifuge[].
The fruit is antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, antifungal, depurative, emollient, expectorant and laxative[, , , , ]. It is used in the treatment of pulmonary infections with yellow and thick sputum, chest pains, stuffy feelings in the chest, constipation and dry stool[]. It has an antibacterial action against E. coli, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, B. paratyphi, Pseudomonas, Vibrio cholerae, V. Proteus etc[]. The fruit is traditionally prepared as a winter soup to ward off colds and influenza[]. The fruit is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[].
The rind of the fruit is used to treat a number of ailments, including cancer, jaundice, retained placenta, bronchial infections with thick phlegm and sore throat[, , ].
The seed is antitussive, emollient and expectorant[].
The root is antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, febrifuge, galactogogue, laxative, oxytocic, sialagogue and uterine tonic[, , , , , ]. The fresh root has been noted for centuries as an abortifacient - a sponge soaked in its juice was placed in the vagina and induced an abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy[]. The root is taken internally in the treatment of diabetes, dry coughs, and to assist in the second stage of labour[, ]. The root is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[].
The root and/or the seed is powdered and used in the treatment of mammary cancer[].

Other Uses

An oil from the seed is used for lighting[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in pots in a warm greenhouse in a rich soil. Sow 2 - 3 seeds per pot and thin to the strongest plant. Grow them on fast and plant out after the last expected frosts. Give some protection, such as a frame or cloche, until the plants are growing away well.