https://biointerfaceresearch.com/ 1 of 24 Review Volume 13, Issue 2, 2023, 197 https://doi.org/10.33263/BRIAC132.197 Pharmacological Activities of Bioactive Compounds from Crescentia cujete L. Plant – A Review Alecsanndra L. Gonzales 1 , Ureah Thea A. Sevilla 1 , Po-Wei Tsai 2,* 1 School of Chemical, Biological, Materials Engineering and Sciences, Mapúa University, Intramuros, Manila, 1002 Metro Manila, Philippines 2 Department of Medical Science Industries, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan * Correspondence: powei@mail.cjcu.edu.tw (P.W.T.); Scopus Author ID 56486877000 Received: 7.02.2022; Accepted: 13.03.2022; Published: 7.04.2022 Abstract: Crescentia cujete is widely known as a medicinal plant with broad indigenous ethnomedical uses such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antivenom, antidiabetic, and antioxidant. Despite these known indigenous uses, the benefits obtained from C. cujete are far from fully used due to the underwhelming studies on its pharmacological potential, bioactive compounds, and mechanism of action that keep the pharmacological and new drug discovery progress slowly. The information in this review was gathered from major and trusted scientific databases and journal publications, books, and dissertations. In this review, available studies on ethnobotanical, general, and medical use, as well as phytochemical findings and known pharmacological applications of the plant, were collated and established. The most commonly investigated as well as the grey areas realized from this review regarding the pharmacological potentials of the plant consequently suggest the incorporation of in silico in-depth studies to understand the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds, as well as more pharmacological potential investigations of the compounds found in the least studied parts, such as the seeds, bark, and flowers of the plant. This will ensure continuous and fast-moving advances in the pharmacological application of C. cujete. Keywords: pharmacological; phenols; bioactive compounds; Crescentia cujete; phytochemicals. © 2022 by the authors. This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 1. Introduction Medicinal plants are widely known as the source of many essential drugs currently being used in the modern world. Most of these indigenous medicinal plants are also used as spices, served fresh or cooked as food themselves, while other inedible parts of these plants serve as a foundation for making indigenous daily items such as bowls, utensils, etc. [1,2]. Interestingly, different parts of these medicinal plants are made up of multiple nutrients and phytochemicals deemed essential to combat many diseases, making them an essential source and focus for the advancement of pharmacological and medical studies. Crescentia cujete (C. cujete), commonly known as the calabash tree, is one of these medicinal plants worldwide, especially in tropical countries where it is highly cultivated for its numerous medicinal properties. Its fruit is globular in shape with a green, smooth, but complex and woody exterior [3]. The preparation and use of this plant for medicinal and traditional purposes vary by culture. Typically, fruit pulp and leaves are used to make concoctions to treat different ailments, such as colds and asthma, to function as a remedy for diabetes, internal abscesses, and snake bites