Editing Calabash (section)

== Toxicity ==
Like other members of the family [[Cucurbitaceae]], gourds contain [[cucurbitacin]]s that are known to be [[cytotoxic]] at a high concentration. The [[tetracyclic]] [[triterpenoid]] cucurbitacins present in fruits and vegetables of the cucumber family are responsible for the bitter taste, and could cause stomach ulcers. In extreme cases, people have died from drinking the juice of gourds.<ref>{{cite news |title=Not all bitter veggies are good, they can kill you: Doctors 
 |first=Priya 
 |last=Adhyaru-Majithia 
 |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_not-all-bitter-veggies-are-good-they-can-kill-you-doctors_1358598 
 |newspaper=[[Daily News and Analysis|DNA]] 
 |publisher=[[D B Corp Ltd.|Bhaskar Group]] 
 |date=13 March 2010 
 |access-date=9 July 2010 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626233012/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_not-all-bitter-veggies-are-good-they-can-kill-you-doctors_1358598
 |archive-date=26 June 2010
 |url-status=dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
 |title=Toxin in lauki kills diabetic city scientist 
 |first=Neetu 
 |last=Chandra 
 |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/104719/India/toxin-in-lauki-kills-diabetic-city-scientist.html 
 |newspaper=[[India Today]] 
 |publisher=[[Living Media]] 
 |date=9 July 2010 
 |access-date=9 July 2010 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712104141/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/104719/India/toxin-in-lauki-kills-diabetic-city-scientist.html
 |archive-date=12 July 2010
 |url-status=dead
}}
</ref><ref>{{cite news
 | title = Bitter 'lauki' juice can kill you
 | url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-28/hyderabad/29712339_1_gourd-icmr-juice
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110705003828/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-28/hyderabad/29712339_1_gourd-icmr-juice
 | url-status = dead
 | archive-date = 5 July 2011
 | date = 28 June 2011
 | newspaper = [[The Times of India]]
 | access-date = 28 June 2010
}}
</ref>
The toxic cases are usually due to the gourd being used to make juice, which the drinkers described as being unusually bitter.<ref name="taskforce"/> In three of the lethal cases, the victims were diabetics in their 50s and 60s.<ref name="taskforce">{{cite journal |last1=Puri |first1=Rajesh |last2=Sud |first2=Randhir |last3=Khaliq |first3=Abdul |last4=Kumar |first4=Mandhir |last5=Jain |first5=Sanjay |title=Gastrointestinal toxicity due to bitter bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)─a report of 15 cases |journal=Indian Journal of Gastroenterology |date=September 2011 |volume=30 |issue=5 |pages=233–236 |doi=10.1007/s12664-011-0110-z |pmid=21986853 |s2cid=12653649 }}</ref> In 2018, a healthy woman in her 40s was hospitalized for severe reactions after consuming the juice and died three days later from complications.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/healthy-woman-dies-after-drinking-bottle-gourd-juice/articleshow/64675921.cms|title=Pune woman dies after drinking bottle gourd juice - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-07-07}}</ref>

The plant is not normally toxic when eaten. The excessively bitter (and toxic) gourds are due to improper storage (temperature swings or high temperature) and over-ripening.<ref name="taskforce"/>