Pharmacological and biomedical uses of extracts of pumpkin and its relatives and applications in the food industry: a review
Sharma P, Kaur G, Kehinde BA, Chhikara N, Panghal A, Kaur H · International Journal of Vegetable Science · 2019 April 23
DOI 10.1080/19315260.2019.1606130
Objective
To review the utilization of extracts derived from pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) for medicinal and food applications, with a focus on its diverse bioactive components and potential therapeutic, pharmacological, and biofunctional attributes.
Conclusions
The review concludes that pumpkin, with its various parts such as seeds, flowers, fruit pericarp, and leaves, is a multifunctional ingredient used in the formulation of innovative functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical preparations. The diverse bioactive components make it a functional food with therapeutic attributes, demonstrating efficacy against pathogens, metabolic syndrome diseases, and organ dysfunctions. The integration of its uses in both medicinal and food-oriented applications suggests its potential for additional studies to uncover more benefits.
Critical Appraisal
Published research can offer valuable insights, but a paper’s conclusions may go beyond what its results support. Critical appraisal examines the methods, findings and limitations to clarify what can reasonably be concluded—and what remains uncertain.
This article has not yet been critically appraised by the Research Hub.
Learn more about Critical Appraisal
