The Journal of Phytopharmacology, 2017;6(2):133-139 DOI:10.31254/phyto.2017.6211
A review on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and nutritional composition of Cucurbita pepo L.
Muhammad Adnan1 , Sidra Gul1 , Sidra Batool1 , Bibi Fatima1 , Ali Rehman1 , Samina Yaqoob1 , Hassan Shabir1 , Touqeer Yousaf1 , Sakina Mussarat1 , Nawab Ali2 , Shahid Niaz Khan3 , Hazir Rahman4 , Muhammad Abdul Aziz1
1. Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat26000, Pakistan
2. Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat26000, Pakistan
3. Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat-26000, Pakistan
4. Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat-26000, Pakistan
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 4th March, 2017 / Accepted: 6th April, 2017
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.
Ethnomedicines, Pharmacological report, Phytochemistry, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE
Adnan M, Gul S, Batool S, Fatima B, Rehman A, Yaqoob A et al. A review on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and nutritional composition of Cucurbita pepo L. J Phytopharmacol 2017;6(2):133-139.
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