Quick Navigation

Citrullus colocynthis

Citrullus colocynthis, also known as bitter cucumber, is a fruit-bearing plant. Low doses of its seeds and fruit can reduce blood glucose levels. Higher doses are associated with side-effects like colonic inflammation and rectal bleeding.

Our evidence-based analysis on citrullus colocynthis features 27 unique references to scientific papers.

Kamal Patel
Research analysis led by and reviewed by the Examine team.
Last Updated:

Summary of Citrullus colocynthis

Primary information, health benefits, side effects, usage, and other important details

Citrullus colocynthis, also known as bitter cucumber, is a fruit-bearing plant sometimes used medicinally.

Citrullus colocynthis is used to treat diabetes, since it may be able to induce insulin secretion from the pancreas after supplementation, while reducing blood glucose and improving lipid levels.

Preliminary evidence suggests a topical application of Citrullus colocynthis may stimulate hair growth, with an effect comparable to finasteride, a male pattern baldness drug. More evidence is needed to confirm this effect.

Even low doses (100mg, taken three times) of Citrullus colocynthis can cause diarrhea, while higher doses (1,500 mg) can cause colonic inflammation and rectal bleeding. These side-effects stop once supplementation is ceased.

Since the bioactive compounds in Citrullus colocynthis are still unknown, and even low-dose supplementation is associated with intestinal side-effects, Citrullus colocynthis is not recommended for oral supplementation.

Guidance from the experts

Learn what supplements to take for your specific health goals with the Examine Supplement Guides.

Want a deeper look at the research? Examine Members get full access to the comprehensive research database, monthly study summaries, and the latest in-depth analysis.

Your support allows us to be 100% independent and unbiased.


How to Take

Recommended dosage, active amounts, other details

Limited human evidence suggests that 100mg of the seed or dry pulp extract, taken three times a day for a total daily dose of 300mg, is associated with reducing blood glucose and improving lipid levels.

The traditional ‘recommended’ dose for Citrullus colocynthis is 300-800mg. This dosage range is associated with severe intestinal inflammation.

Easily stay on top of the latest nutrition research

Become an Examine Member to get access to the latest research. Get 150+ studies summarized for you across 25 different categories every month.

Members also have access to the Examine Study Database of 400+ supplements and their effects on 600+ health outcomes, as well as in-depth research analyses. Understand the whole body of nutrition and supplement evidence at a glance.

Get instant access — start your free 14-day trial

Already a Member? Click here to log in.


Human Effect Matrix

Unlocked for Examine Members

Easily stay on top of the latest nutrition research

Become an Examine Member to get access to the latest research. Get 150+ studies summarized for you across 25 different categories every month.

Members also have access to the Examine Study Database of 400+ supplements and their effects on 600+ health outcomes, as well as in-depth research analyses. Understand the whole body of nutrition and supplement evidence at a glance.

Get instant access — start your free 14-day trial

Already a Member? Click here to log in.


The Human Effect Matrix summarizes human studies to tell you what effects Citrullus colocynthis has on your body, how much evidence there is, and how strong these effects are.

Full details are available to Examine Members. Not a Member? Try Examine Membership completely free for two weeks.
Grade Level of Evidence
Robust research conducted with repeated double-blind clinical trials
Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled
Single double-blind study or multiple cohort studies
Uncontrolled or observational studies only
Level of Evidence
? The amount of high quality evidence. The more evidence, the more we can trust the results.
Outcome Magnitude of effect
? The direction and size of the supplement's impact on each outcome. Some supplements can have an increasing effect, others have a decreasing effect, and others have no effect.
Consistency of research results
? Scientific research does not always agree. HIGH or VERY HIGH means that most of the scientific research agrees.
Notes
grade-c
Blood glucose
Minor - See study
May decrease blood glucose in diabetics at low doses, but the evidence at this moment in time is limited (due to differences between groups at the start of the study)
grade-c
HbA1c
Minor - See study
May be able to mildly decrease HbA1c, although the research supporting this claim is very preliminary at this time.
grade-c
Total Cholesterol
Minor Moderate See 2 studies
There may be a reduction in total cholesterol in those with high cholesterol, but it has a large degree of variability.
grade-c
Triglycerides
Minor Moderate See 2 studies
The decrease seen in triglycerides in one study was statistically significance, but the average reduction in hyperlipidemics (16%) has a very large range
grade-c
Blood Pressure
- - See study
No significant influence on blood pressure with up to 300mg of the fruit extract daily over two months
grade-c
Creatinine
- - See study
No significant influence on creatinine concentrations with the lowest active dose of the supplement (300mg)
grade-c
HDL-C
- Moderate See 2 studies
A possible benefit in hyperlipidemics only has failed to reach statistical significance.
grade-c
LDL-C
- Moderate See 2 studies
A possible reduction seen in persons with high blood triglycerides and cholesterol failed to reach statistical significance due to large variance.
grade-c
Liver Enzymes
- Very High See 2 studies
Both studies using 300mg of either the fruit or seed extract have failed to find alterations in liver enzymes associated with supplementation.
grade-c
Urea
- - See study
No significant alterations in serum urea, suggesting no renal toxicity with the low doses (300mg) of this supplement
grade-c
Weight
- - See study
In assessing the influence of the fruit extract on blood glucose, there was no significant influence on weight

Stay on top of the latest research

To unlock the full archives of our Study Database and research analyses, become an Examine Member today.

Start your 14-day free trial

Things to Note

Primary Function:

Also Known As

Bitter apple, desert gourd, bitter cucumber

Do Not Confuse With

Bitter Gourd/Melon/Squash (Momordica charantia)

Caution Notice

Known toxicity associated with rectal bleeding

  • While the toxicity is reversible within two weeks, consumption of over a gram of the fruits or seeds (dry weight basis) results in intestinal inflammation and rectal bleeding; it is not known if long term damage occurs from this

Get our free 5-day course on the essentials of supplementation.

At Examine, our incentives line up with yours — getting unbiased information. That's why we don’t sell any advertising or supplements.

Join over 250,000 people who have learned about effective versus overrated supplements, tips for buying supplements, and how to combine supplements for safety and efficacy.

Research Breakdown on Citrullus colocynthis

1Sources and Composition

1.1Sources

1.2Composition

2Cardiovascular Health

2.1Cholesterol

2.2Triglycerides

3Interations with Glucose Metabolism

3.1Insulin

3.2Type II Diabetes

4Peripheral Organ Damage

4.1Kidney

5Interactions with Cancer

5.1Liver Cancer

6Interactions with Aesthetics

6.1Hair

7Safety and Toxicology

7.1General

7.2Human Toxicology
Click here to see all 27 references.

This page is regularly updated, to include the most recently available clinical trial evidence.

Each member of our research team is required to have no conflicts of interest, including with supplement manufacturers, food companies, and industry funders. The team includes nutrition researchers, registered dietitians, physicians, and pharmacists. We have a strict editorial process.

This page features 27 references. All factual claims are followed by specifically-applicable references. Click here to see the full set of research information and references for Citrullus colocynthis.

Examine.com is intended to be used for educational and information purposes only. Examine.com and its Editors do not advocate nutritional supplementation over proper medical advice or treatment and this sentiment will never be expressed through pages hosted under Examine.com. If using any pharmaceuticals or drugs given to you by a doctor or received with a prescription, you must consult with the doctor in question or an equally qualified Health Care Professional prior to using any nutritional supplementation. If undergoing medical therapies, then consult with your respective Therapist or Health Care Professional about possible interactions between your Treatment, any Pharmaceuticals or Drugs being given, and possible nutritional supplements or practices hosted on Examine.com.

Examine.com does not assume liability for any actions undertaken after visiting these pages, and does not assume liability if one misuses supplements. Examine.com and its Editors do not ensure that unforeseen side effects will not occur even at the proper dosages, and thereby does not assume liability for any side effects from supplements or practices hosted under the domain of Examine.com.

Supplements

Articles

Health Topics

Membership Free Trial

Protein Intake Guide + Calculator

How to read a study

Company

Resources

Never miss an update!

Your email is safe with us. We don’t share personal data.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.