A review on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and nutritional composition of Cucurbita pepo L.

Abstract

Cucurbita pepo L. is widely used as a vegetable all around the globe. This review aimed at forming a relation between the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and nutritional composition of C. pepo. Traditionally this plant is used in Africa and Asia for the treatment of different diseases including fever, whopping cough, urinary problems, anti-scorbutic, hyperplasia, rheumatism, hemorrhoid, miscarriage, prostate cancer, constipation and blindness. Therapeutically, C. pepo is effective in antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, hypoglycemic (anti diabetic) and hypolipidemic activities. These activities of C. pepo might be due to the existence of certain classes of compounds including flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and cucurbitacins glycoside. C. pepo is also rich in nutritional components like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and minerals. Hence, there is need to isolate and characterize active compounds in each class and developing new allopathic drugs with less or no side effects. Moreover, toxicity of this plant with dose dependent manner may also be tested along with measurements to conserve this species.