elaterium

Elaterium is a substance obtained from the fruit of the wild cucumber, Ecballium elaterium, also known as the squirting cucumber. The fruit is a small, egg-shaped gourd that, when ripe, forcibly ejects its seeds and pulp when disturbed. The elaterium is extracted from this pulp. Historically, elaterium was used as a potent purgative and cathartic. Its primary active compound is elaterin, a bitter glycoside. Due to its extreme potency and harsh action, elaterium has largely fallen out of favor in modern medicine. Its administration could lead to severe griping, vomiting, and dehydration, and the dosage was difficult to control. While it was a powerful tool for emptying the bowels, the risks associated with its use outweighed its benefits compared to safer alternatives that were developed. Elaterium is no longer commonly found in pharmacopoeias.