Nutritional Value, Phytochemical Potential, and Therapeutic Benefits of Pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.)

Abstract

Pumpkin is a well-known multifunctional ingredient in the diet, full of nutrients, and has opened new vistas for scientists during the past years. The fruit of pumpkin including the flesh, seed, and peel are a rich source of primary and secondary metabolites, including proteins, carbohydrates, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, tryptophan, delta-7-sterols, and many other phytochemicals. This climber is traditionally used in many countries, such as Austria, Hungary, Mexico, Slovenia, China, Spain, and several Asian and African countries as a functional food and provides health promising properties. Other benefits of pumpkin, such as improving spermatogenesis, wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-ulcerative properties, and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia have also been confirmed by researchers. For better drug delivery, nanoemulsions and niosomes made from pumpkin seeds have also been reported as a health promising tool, but further research is still required in this field. This review mainly focuses on compiling and summarizing the most relevant literature to highlight the nutritional value, phytochemical potential, and therapeutic benefits of pumpkin.

Nutritional Value and Antioxidant Activity of Fresh Pumpkin Flowers (Cucurbita sp.) Grown in Poland

“…These compounds include polyphenols, phytosterols (α-spinasterol), carotenoids, mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin C and E, and selenium [16]. These compounds show many pharmacological activities, such as antitumor, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory, are also used in the treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress, [17][18][19]. In gastronomic technology, they can be used for frying and stuffing, as well as an addition to, e.g., cakes, omelettes, or salads.…”

Investigating the anticancer efficacy of biogenic synthesized MgONPs: An in vitro analysis

“…Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of health-promoting compounds such as fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, squalene, and minerals ( Gedi and Mariod, 2022 ). A recent report suggests an inverse association of the risk of several types of cancer, such as breast, rectal, and lung cancer, to pumpkin seed intake ( Batool et al, 2022 ).…”

“…A recent report suggests an inverse association of the risk of several types of cancer, such as breast, rectal, and lung cancer, to pumpkin seed intake (Batool et al, 2022).…”

“…Pumpkin seeds are also a dietary source of polyunsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols (e.g., β-sitosterols) and a good source of zinc ( Ryan et al, 2007 ; Sabudak, 2007 ). The scientific literature indicates a great therapeutic potential for pumpkin seeds which have also been utilized as an alternative medicine ( Batool et al, 2022 ). They are cheaper and used in many food products to increase their nutritional value.…”

ANALISIS KADAR MINERAL BESI (Fe) DALAM KULIT LABU SIAM (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.) DAN LABU AIR (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley) DENGAN METODE SPEKTROFOTOMETRI SERAPAN ATOM

“…) Berdasarkan Tabel V, dari penentuan kadar sampel labu air dan labu siam diperoleh hasil kadar Fe rata-rata untuk labu air yaitu sebesar 46,416 ± 0,09 mg/kg dan kadar Fe pada labu siam sebesar 65,700 ± 0,02 mg/kg. Hasil kadar Fe dalam kulit labu siam dan kulit labu air yang didapatkan memiliki kadar Fe yang kurang lebih sama dengan kadar Fe yang terkandung dalam kulit labu kuning yang masih satu famili dengan labu siam dan labu air yaitu famili Cucurbitaceae, dalam penelitian Batool dkk, 2022 ini menunjukkan bahwa kadar Fe yang dihasilkan sebesar 4,0040 mg/100g yang bila dikonversi menjadi mg/kg menghasil kan kadar Fe sebesar 40,04 mg/kg (Batool et al, 2022).…”