Food and medicinal relevance of Cucurbitaceae species in Eastern and Southern Africa

Olarewaju, Olaoluwa Omoniyi; Fajinmi, Olufunke O.; Arthur, Georgina D.; Coopoosamy, Roger M.; Naidoo, Kuben

doi:10.1186/s42269-021-00659-y

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Oxidative stress results from an imbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant levels that favors the former. It is a dangerous state for the entire body and shows signs of human diseases such as cancer or obesity [12]. Cucurbits exhibit antioxidant properties because of a variety of bioactive components, such as cucurbitacins B and E and ellagitannins, which are tannins and have the ability to scavenge free radicals.…”

Section: Antioxidant Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of Cucurbitaceae Families

Yiblet

2023

Biological and Abiotic Stress in Cucurbitaceae Crops

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There are more than 960 species of crops in the Cucurbitaceae family. Since ancient times, members of this family of vegetables have been utilized as both food and medical purposes. Pumpkin and cucumber are the two most recognizable cucurbits. They are indigenous to the majority of the world's nations, particularly those in the tropics, where they are grown in every nation, state, and province. The Cucurbitaceae family includes numerous significant food plants including melon, pumpkin, squash, and cucumber as well as plants that can be used to produce useful goods like bottle gourds, loofah, and ornamental gourds. Due to the presence of cucurbitacins, some species, such as bitter melon, cucumber and musk melon are thought to have medicinal benefits. Cucurbit plants are abundant in phytochemicals, terpenoids, saponins, and carotenoids.

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Section: Antioxidant Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of Cucurbitaceae Families

Yiblet

2023

Biological and Abiotic Stress in Cucurbitaceae Crops

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“…The Sierra Leonian cattle boys conventionally make use of the desiccated C. manni fruit shell as a horn warner (Awuchi, 2023 ; Leakey et al, 2022 ). The kernel of the seed contains semi‐drying oils for making soap, cooking, lighting, livestock feed, and the fruit for preparing healing ointment (Koffi et al, 2008 ; Okwundu et al, 2021 ; Olarewaju et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil protects against Bisphenol A‐induced testicular mitochondrial damages

Aja

Ogwoni

Agu

et al. 2023

Food Science & Nutrition

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There has been increasing search for the ameliorative properties of seed oils against toxicants. bisphenol A acts as an estrogenic endocrine‐disrupting chemical capable of causing male infertility. This study aimed to explore Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil effects against mitochondrial damage in rats using bisphenol A. Forty‐eight rats were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 6) of eight rats each and fed the same food and water for 6 weeks. The group A rats were given 1 mL olive oil, while the ones in group B were given bisphenol A at 100 mL/kg body weight via oral route. Group C received C. mannii seed oil 7.5 mL/kg body weight C. mannii seed oil, while group D, group E, and group F were pre‐administered bisphenol A at 100 mL/kg body weight, followed by treatment with C. mannii seed oil at 7.5, 5, and 2.5 mL/kg body weight, respectively. Antioxidant enzymes, glutathione, reactive oxygen species, testicular volume, malondialdehyde, body weight, and testicular studies were done using standard methods. The results of the bisphenol A‐administered group showed a significant decrease in the antioxidant enzymes, glutathione, body weight, and testicular volume with elevation in the levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and testicular indices. BPA + CMSO‐treated group showed a significant increase in GPx activity compared with BPA‐exposed rats. CMSO treatment significantly increased catalase activity in comparison with that of rats exposed to BPA. Remarkably, C. mannii seed oil and bisphenol A co‐administration significantly reversed the abnormalities observed in the dysregulated biochemical biomarkers. Our findings suggest that C. mannii seed oil has considerable antioxidant potential which can be explored in therapeutic development against systemic toxicity induced by exposure to bisphenol A. Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil protects against bisphenol A‐induced testicular mitochondria damages.

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“…Some species of the Cucurbitaceae family are good examples of such plants, and they are undoubtedly playing a major role in food and nutritional security in West Africa and other parts of Africa. The Cucurbitaceae is an underutilised food resource family with high medicinal value and potential of curing different diseases (Olarewaju et al 2021). The family is moderately large, comprising about 130 genera and 900 species (Jeffrey 1964) and is represented in Nigeria by 21 genera and 41 species (Hutchinson & Dalziel 1954).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the role of the Cucurbitaceae family in food security in West Africa

Fajinmi

Olarewaju

Arthur

et al. 2022

JOMPED

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Background: Food and nutritional security are main development goals in several countries of Africa. In West Africa, the use of African indigenous vegetables caters for the food and nutritional needs of a high proportion of the people, most particularly amongst the poor and rural dwellers. The family Cucurbitaceae is one of the most important and widely grown vegetables in the tropical and subtropical climates.Aim and objective: This review discusses the culinary relevance of several species of Cucurbitaceae and their roles in food security in West Africa.Methods: A literature search was conducted on electronic databases such as Google Books, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science.Discussions: Certain genera such as Telfairia, Cucurbita and Citrullus and other Egusi species are commonly cultivated in different parts of West Africa including Nigeria for their fruits, seeds and leaves because of their crucial nutrient compositions and palatability in local diets. These species and other species of Cucurbitaceae are used as traditional vegetables or African indigenous vegetables and are either sourced from the wild or cultivated in several African countries. Some of these species have played roles beyond food security but have also been crucial tools for nutritional security, especially within the low-income group and rural communities.Conclusions: Several communities in West Africa use almost all parts of the plant (leaves, fruit, seed, flowers) of some species of this family as food or in food preparations. Their use could also lead to innovative pathways towards reducing diseases associated with malnutrition especially those related to protein deficiency.

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Food and medicinal relevance of Cucurbitaceae species in Eastern and Southern Africa

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

Overview of Cucurbitaceae Families

Overview of Cucurbitaceae Families

Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil protects against Bisphenol A‐induced testicular mitochondrial damages

A review of the role of the Cucurbitaceae family in food security in West Africa

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