Colocynth (Indravaruni)

Colocynth is a trailing desert vine of the gourd family that resembles a watermelon plant but bears small, round fruits with an extremely bitter pulp. It grows wild in the dry regions of northwest India, the Middle East and North Africa.

Known in Sanskrit as Indravaruni, its fruit and root are described in classical Ayurveda as strongly purgative. The plant is poisonous and is used only after classical purification under qualified supervision, within established formulations.