Marah macrocarpa

Ethnographic accounts report that the most common use of Marah macrocarpa was for treating hair loss and baldness on the head. It was reported that the Chumash, Kawaiisu, and Cahuilla peoples roasted the seeds and mashed them into an oily black salve that was applied to the head. Pharmacological research suggests that the Cucurbitacins found in Marah are structurally similar to the antiandrogen medication finasteride and may show similar biological activity, providing support to the traditional uses of the plants for treating hair loss. The Kumeyaay, Luiseño, Kawaiisu, and Tongva peoples also used M. macrocarpa for the relief of pain and inflammation. The black salve from the roasted seeds was applied to areas of irritation or sores. The black salve was also used for body painting. All parts of the plants are toxic due to the presence of cucurbitacins and ribosome-inactivating proteins, so it was not traditionally consumed. Other Marah species in different regions were historically consumed in difficult conditions to commit suicide or euthanasia.