Nutraceutical and Therapeutic Properties of Edible Super Food: Pumpkin Seeds - A Review”

摘要

Pumpkin seeds, despite their small size, are loaded with enough nutrients necessary to protect the human body against various health issues. Pumpkin seeds, also called as “Pepita” can be incorporated easily into the diet. They are good sources of minerals like magnesium, zinc and amino acid tryptophan, which helps to promote good sleep. They also have high tocopherol content, which makes them a rich source of antioxidants. Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, diterpenes, saponins, and phenols. High dietary fiber content in these seeds help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes and obesity. Gas chromatographic analysis of the pumpkin seed oil (PSO) showed that the linoleic (39.84%), oleic (38.42%), palmitic (10.68%) and stearic (8.67%) acids were the major fatty acids present in PSO. Studies revealed that PSO can be a valuable source of edible oil due to their high poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content when compared to other vegetable oils. Besides this, bioactive compounds from the pumpkin seeds are known for their anthelmintic, antidiabetic, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-atherogenic, hypolipidemic, immunomodulator, antitumor, and cytoprotective properties. United States Pharmacopoeia had included pumpkin seeds as an official medicine for parasite elimination from 1863 to 1936. Literature studies revealed that pumpkin seeds can be used as a traditional and functional food ingredient provided further animal and clinical investigations are carried out to establish the respective molecular mechanisms. The present paper reviews about the nutraceutical and therapeutic applications of this super food.