Further Information
Caralluma fimbriata has been in use for many centuries in India.
It is commonly used as a vegetable in several regions of India. It is
eaten raw or cooked with spices, it is also used in pickles and
chutneys.
Indian tribals chew chunks of Caralluma fimbriata to
suppress hunger when on a day’s hunt. The cactus is used among
the labor class in South India to suppress appetite and enhance
endurance.
In Western India, Caralluma fimbriata is well known as a famine food, appetite suppressant and thirst quencher. The green follicles are eaten, boiled and salted. In Kerala, South India, Caralluma is used as a vegetable and appetite suppressant among tribal populations- It also finds use today as an appetite suppressant and famine food during times of famine, in the semi-arid regions of India.