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Plant Source Foods
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Pumpkin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae, genus Cucurbita. It is found in tropical and subtropical countries, with its three varieties being Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, and Cucurbita pepo (146). Pumpkin fruit is composed of pulp and seeds. Pumpkin pulp contains polysaccharides, carotenoids, amino acids, active proteins, and minerals. Pumpkin fruit and seeds are high in lipids and proteins, and they are a good source of potassium, copper, manganese phosphorus, and magnesium (146). Pumpkins are rich in macro- and micronutrients and antioxidants that promote immunity against cancer and other diseases (146). Pumpkins are consumed in various ways, whether fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. Preservation of pumpkin by drying is an important way to prevent postharvest losses. Pumpkin fruit can be processed into flour which has a longer shelf-life, highly desirable sweet flavor, and deep yellow-orange color. Pumpkin flour contains high levels of carbohydrates, starch, dietary fiber, protein, and low levels of lipids and crude fiber, and is an ideal food for diabetes patients, cardiovascular disease patients, and the elderly (146). Many countries, such as India, China, Brazil, Argentina have been using different species of this fruit as a medicine. The various health benefits of pumpkin include antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, and possible anti-fatigue effects (146). Pumpkin may protect eye health and lower blood cholesterol.
Nutraceuticals and Hormonal Balance in Pregnancy
Published in Priyanka Bhatt, Maryam Sadat Miraghajani, Sarvadaman Pathak, Yashwant Pathak, Nutraceuticals for Prenatal, Maternal and Offspring’s Nutritional Health, 2019
Ashley Oake, Michaela McMahon, Yashwant V. Pathak
These ideals are currently reaching other countries including the UK, Japan, and India (3). The United States diet has the highest number of calories and processed foods in the world, but Europe is also having issues with obesity and cardiovascular issues (3). It is advised that children start their initial diet with six months of breastfeeding, to be followed by two years in total of this combined with a diet full of nutrients (3). After two years children should be fed complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables full of dietary fiber, vitamins, and probiotics to prevent chronic diseases (3). A diet consisting of mainly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains reduce the risk of developing complications throughout life (3). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are two of the main causes of death in most developed countries, with CVD contributing to 60% of deaths (3). According to 206 different studies, a diet of raw, cruciferous, and allium vegetables may help reduce the risk of cancer (3). Complications dealing the gastrointestinal tract, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, all result from the nutrients we consume (3). These may arise from an imbalance in microbial flora, so consumption of prebiotics and probiotics may help prevent the onset of disease (3). Medicinal plants are being used in Africa due to the lack of pharmaceuticals to treat nausea and to give relief during childbirth (4). plants used for nutritional supplements and relief include Allium sativum L. and Cucurbita pepo L. (4)
Ascorbate Oxidase
Published in René Lontie, Copper Proteins and Copper Enzymes, 1984
Bruno Mondovì, Luciana Avigliano
Some bacteria have been found to possess ascorbate oxidase activity.10 There are also reports of a fungal enzyme in Myrothecium verrucaria.11 Many higher plants contain ascorbate oxidase,4 but crook-neck squash (Cucurbita pepo condensa), green zucchini squash (C. pepo medullosa), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) are generally used as the sources for enzyme purification.
Geochemical speciation and bioaccumulation of trace elements in different tissues of pumpkin in the abandoned soils: Health hazard perspective in a developing country
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2022
Md Saiful Islam, Md Kawser Ahmed, Abubakr M. Idris, Khamphe Phoungthong, Md Ahosan Habib, Ramal Ahmed Mustafa
The sampling was conducted in January-May, 2018. The soil and plant samples were collected from nine agricultural fields around the abandoned tannery waste disposal sites. The plant species used for this study was pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). The plant species was chosen based on the dominant crop plant available in the waste disposal site during the sampling period. Moreover, the leaves, stems and fruits of pumpkin could serve as a major diet for the local inhabitants and farmers sell the leaves, stems and fruits of pumpkin to the city market. Plant samples of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) with three replicates representing leaves, stems, fruits and roots were taken randomly from cultivated fields.
Exploring the use of niosomes in cosmetics for efficient dermal drug delivery
Published in Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2023
Rana Abu-Huwaij, Adian Alkarawi, Dima Salman, Furqan Alkarawi
Androgenetic alopecia is a genetic disorder caused by an overreaction to androgens. This disorder, which affects up to 50% of both males and females, is characterized by gradual loss of hair at any point after puberty (Ho et al. 2022). Pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo L.) is mostly composed of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (Hajhashemi et al. 2019). Pumpkin seed oil-loaded niosome is prepared using tween 20 surfactants and cholesterol, the studies showed better skin permeation, reduce in hair loss by 44.42% and the serum is not irritant to the human scalp (Teeranachaideekul et al. 2022).
Poisoning by non-edible squash: retrospective series of 353 patients from French Poison Control Centers
Published in Clinical Toxicology, 2018
G. Le Roux, I. Leborgne, M. Labadie, R. Garnier, S. Sinno-Tellier, J. Bloch, M. Deguigne, D. Boels
For several years now, squashes and pumpkins have been widely available in market stalls and home gardens. These vegetables are varieties of three species: Cucurbita pepo (squash, zucchini), Cucurbita moschata (butternut squash, etc.), and Cucurbita maxima (winter squash). Both squash and zucchini, pumpkins (in principle edible types), as well as decorative colocynths (non-edible types) are classified under the single species name Cucurbita pepo L., which belongs to the Cucurbita genus (Cucurbita pepo or Cucurbita argyrosperma).