Sponge gourd
1、 Pharmacopoeia standard of Luffa Luo       This product is the vascular bundle of dried mature fruit of Luffa cylindrica (L.) roem., a Cucurbitaceae plant. In summer and autumn, when the fruit is ripe, the peel turns yellow, and the interior is dry, pick it, remove the skin and pulp, wash it, dry it, and remove the seeds.
      [properties] this product is interwoven with filamentous vascular bundles, mostly in long prismatic or long cylindrical shape, slightly curved, 30-70cm long, 7-10CM in diameter. The surface is yellowish white. It is light, tough, elastic and cannot be broken. . The air is weak and the taste is light.
      [identification] the powder of this product is gray white. The wood fibers are scattered or in bundles, slender, slightly curved, with oblique sharp ends, bifurcated or short branches, 7-39 µ m in diameter, and thin walls. The diameter of threaded conduit and reticulated conduit is 8-28 µ M.
      ; Not more than 9.5% (the second method of general rule 0832).
      Total ash   Not more than 2.5% (general rule 2302).
      Decoction pieces
      [processing] remove the residual seeds and skins and cut them into segments.
      [identification] the same as medicinal materials.
      [nature, taste and meridian tropism] sweet and smooth. It belongs to the lung, stomach and liver channels.
      . It is used for arthralgia and contracture, chest and flank pain, milk obstruction, and swelling and pain of breast carbuncle.
      [usage and dosage] 5 ～ 12g.
      [storage] put it in a dry place.


2、 Chemical constituents of sponge gourd
Sponge gourd contains xylan and cellulose, and may also contain mannan, galactan and lignin. Sponge gourd contains xylan, mannan, galactan, etc. [1].

3、 Pharmacological effects of Luffa Luo
1. effect on liver: oleanolic acid contained in oleanolic acid has a therapeutic effect on acute liver injury caused by carbon tetrachloride in rats, and can reduce hollow degeneration, loose degeneration, necrosis and lobular degeneration of hepatocytes.
2. other effects: oleanolic acid has cardiotonic diuretic effect and inhibits the growth of S-180 tumor strain.