Abstract
BackgroundIncreasing natural drug demand for pharmaceutical uses has encouraged scientifics all over the world to explore medicinal plants recognized as efficient remedies. In this context, extracted oil from pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.) is an interesting target, as it is composed with prominent pharmacological properties to possible wound healing treatments.MethodsThe composition and content of certain bioactive constituents of the cold pressed oil obtained from pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.) were analyzed and studied for their wound healing properties. Uniform wounds were induced on the dorsum of 18 rats, randomly divided into three groups. The wounds were photographed, and topically treated with saline solution (control group), 0.13 mg/mm2 of a reference drug (“Cicaflora cream®”), and 0.52 μl/mm2 of pumpkin’s oil each 2 days until the first group is completely healing and so far biopsies were histologically assessed.ResultsThe composition and content of tocopherols, fatty acids, and phytosterols were determined. The results showed an excellent quality of pumpkin oil with high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (Linoleic acid: 50.88 ± 0.106 g/100 g of total fatty acids), tocopherols (280 ppm) and sterols (2086.5 ± 19.092 ppm). High content of these bioactive components were in agreement with an efficient wound healing by the mean of an in vivo study. In fact, morphometric assessment and histological findings revealed healed biopsies from pumpkin oil treated group of rats, unlike untreated group, and a full re-epithelialization with reappearance of skin appendages and well organized collagen fibers without inflammatory cells.ConclusionsThis study showed the significance of oil from pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.) as a promising drug to healing wounds in animal assays. As a whole, pumpkin’s oil would be recommended in the nutritional and medicinal purposes.
Highlights
Increasing natural drug demand for pharmaceutical uses has encouraged scientifics all over the world to explore medicinal plants recognized as efficient remedies
The L* value is a measure of lightness, ranging from 0 to 100, the a* value ranges from −100 to +100 and the b* value varies from −100 to +100
Determination of tocopherol by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) Tocols are lipid-soluble compounds; represent antioxidant molecules naturally found in most vegetable oils in grains [37]
Summary
Increasing natural drug demand for pharmaceutical uses has encouraged scientifics all over the world to explore medicinal plants recognized as efficient remedies. In this context, extracted oil from pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.) is an interesting target, as it is composed with prominent pharmacological properties to possible wound healing treatments. Bardaa et al Lipids in Health and Disease (2016) 15:73 and oxidative stability properties of pumpkin seeds oil would contribute to the valorization of such oil especially in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Much progress has been reached in the domain of modern medicine, we still notice the lack of efficient wounds healing treatments. Basic research has improved our understanding of enhancement and inhibition of wound healing and has given the basis for introduction of novel treatment methods [12]
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