Ristic-Medic et al. (2014) conducted a cross-sectional and follow-up dietary
intervention study to observe the effects of milled sesame/pumpkin/flaxseed mixture
dietary treatments on nutrition status, plasma lipids, phospholipids fatty acid profile,
inflammatory markers, and symptoms of pruritus in patients on hemodialysis.
Patients were asked to consume 30 g of milled seed mixture containing sesame,
pumpkin, and flax seeds in the ratio of 1:1:3 in a single dose at the evening for
12 weeks. Dietary addition of seed mixture not only resulted in a significant decrease
in blood pressure (BP) of around 11 mm systolic and 6 mm Hg diastolic but also
showed improvement in serum lipid levels, inflammatory markers, and serum fatty
acid composition.
19.8.3 Effects on Menopausal Symptoms
In a randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled study, supplementation of
2 g of pumpkin seed oil for 12 weeks to 35 women (natural menopause or benign
surgical history resulting in menopause) resulted in a drop in diastolic blood
pressure, increased plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels, and
reduced menopausal symptoms score with a marked reduction in hot flushes severity, lower episodes of headaches, and decreased pain in joints (Gossell-Williams
et al. 2011). In another clinical study on 82 perimenopausal women diagnosed with
urinary incontinence, the effectiveness of dietary supplement formula containing
soybean extract and pumpkin seed extract was evaluated. The subjects received two
tablets of the supplement per day for 4 weeks, followed by one tablet per day for an
additional 4 weeks. The combined phytoestrogen pyrogallol found in pumpkin in
addition to genistein in soybean extract resulted in safe and effective estrogenic and
androgenic activity, consequently resulting in lowering the risk of urinary incontinence and improvement in the quality of life in perimenopausal women (Marañón
2017). Faloon (2008) has also reported that aqueous pumpkin seed extracts are
effective in inhibiting the aromatase enzyme and strengthens the pelvic muscles
through increase in testosterone levels and by binding to the androgen receptor
present on pelvic muscle cells. Hence, helps in maintaining the structural integrity
of pelvic floor and less incidences of urinary tract disorders in females. These studies
thus suggest the possible protective role of pumpkin seed extract in treating urinary
incontinence arising due to deranged levels of hormones after menopause.
19.8.4 Anticarcinogenic Activity
Tomar et al. (2014) studied the anticancer activity of pumpkin 2S albumins using
human cancer-derived cell lines (used as a fundamental model to study the cancer
biology and therapeutic effects of anticarcinogen in a laboratory set up). The protein
showed evidence of a strong anticancer activity toward ovarian teratocarcinoma
19 Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) Seed
487
intervention study to observe the effects of milled sesame/pumpkin/flaxseed mixture
dietary treatments on nutrition status, plasma lipids, phospholipids fatty acid profile,
inflammatory markers, and symptoms of pruritus in patients on hemodialysis.
Patients were asked to consume 30 g of milled seed mixture containing sesame,
pumpkin, and flax seeds in the ratio of 1:1:3 in a single dose at the evening for
12 weeks. Dietary addition of seed mixture not only resulted in a significant decrease
in blood pressure (BP) of around 11 mm systolic and 6 mm Hg diastolic but also
showed improvement in serum lipid levels, inflammatory markers, and serum fatty
acid composition.
19.8.3 Effects on Menopausal Symptoms
In a randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled study, supplementation of
2 g of pumpkin seed oil for 12 weeks to 35 women (natural menopause or benign
surgical history resulting in menopause) resulted in a drop in diastolic blood
pressure, increased plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels, and
reduced menopausal symptoms score with a marked reduction in hot flushes severity, lower episodes of headaches, and decreased pain in joints (Gossell-Williams
et al. 2011). In another clinical study on 82 perimenopausal women diagnosed with
urinary incontinence, the effectiveness of dietary supplement formula containing
soybean extract and pumpkin seed extract was evaluated. The subjects received two
tablets of the supplement per day for 4 weeks, followed by one tablet per day for an
additional 4 weeks. The combined phytoestrogen pyrogallol found in pumpkin in
addition to genistein in soybean extract resulted in safe and effective estrogenic and
androgenic activity, consequently resulting in lowering the risk of urinary incontinence and improvement in the quality of life in perimenopausal women (Marañón
2017). Faloon (2008) has also reported that aqueous pumpkin seed extracts are
effective in inhibiting the aromatase enzyme and strengthens the pelvic muscles
through increase in testosterone levels and by binding to the androgen receptor
present on pelvic muscle cells. Hence, helps in maintaining the structural integrity
of pelvic floor and less incidences of urinary tract disorders in females. These studies
thus suggest the possible protective role of pumpkin seed extract in treating urinary
incontinence arising due to deranged levels of hormones after menopause.
19.8.4 Anticarcinogenic Activity
Tomar et al. (2014) studied the anticancer activity of pumpkin 2S albumins using
human cancer-derived cell lines (used as a fundamental model to study the cancer
biology and therapeutic effects of anticarcinogen in a laboratory set up). The protein
showed evidence of a strong anticancer activity toward ovarian teratocarcinoma
19 Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) Seed
487