Pumpkin Seed Research Articles

Valorisation of pumpkin seeds through wheat-sorghum-pumpkin seed composite flour muffins: optimization using D-optimal mixture design

Valorisation of pumpkin seeds through wheat-sorghum-pumpkin seed composite flour muffins: optimization using D-optimal mixture design

Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo subsp. ovifera) decoction promotes Trichinella spiralis expulsion during intestinal phase via “Weep and Sweep” mechanism

Trichinosis is a zoonotic disease of communal health concern as it instigated human outbreaks in several countries. Besides, the development of resistance, traditional therapy has numerous antagonistic effects. Thereby, finding efficient natural alternatives is required. In comparison to albendazole, this study evaluated the impact of pumpkin decoction on Trichinella spiralis in experimentally infected mice. The anthelmintic action of pumpkin decoction (500 mg/kg) was determined using T. spiralis infected mice in enteric phase for 5 days. Pumpkin decoction anthelmintic activity fortified by mixing with honey (1:1). Pumpkin decoction and Pumpkin decoction-honey mixture were evaluated by comprising with reference drug, albendazole (50 mg/kg). The T. spiralis adult count was significantly lower in all treated groups, with the pumpkin decoction-honey mixture showing the largest reduction (83.2%) when compared to the infected group (P ≤ 0.001). The intestinal histological changes and the level of COX-2 expression in the intestinal tissue were both significantly reduced in the same group. The pumpkin decoction improved the immune response, as evidenced by a significant decrease in nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and a significant increase in the expression of the transforming growth factor (TGF-1β) and interleukin-17 (IL-17). The pumpkin decoction's anthelmintic action was facilitated by the TGF-1β and IL-17-driven Weep and Sweep mechanism. Both administration of pumpkin decoction beside honey showed the best treatment group that resulted in high infection reduction besides amelioration of biochemical markers and restoration of histological to normal state. In conclusion, pumpkin decoction is highly effective against T. spiralis which could be a promising alternative herbal drug and the pumpkin decoction effect was higher in the case of combination with honey.

Waste to health- seashells and pumpkin seeds into nanohydroxyapatite

Tonnes of pumpkin and piles of sea shells were amassed as waste products every year in the environment. Poor handling of waste can cause environmental pollution and globally initiatives have been made to take of them. Moreover, the focus on turning the waste into useful products hinders the dumping of waste and aids their management. Nanohydroxyapatite, a bioactive bone mineral, has emerged as an ideal candidate for bone substitution applications. The current study focuses on two main goals: waste management and the biogenic preparation of a value-added product, natural nanohydroxyapatite (Nat-Apatite). The seashells and Cucurbita maxima (Pumpkin seeds), which are often discarded as garbage, were utilized as a calcium source and phosphorous source, respectively. The Nat-Apatite exhibited a unique nanoglobular morphology and contained trace elements, such as strontium, magnesium, and sulphur. To assess the degradation rate of Nat-Apatite, we employed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The results demonstrated a slow degradation rate, indicating potential compatibility with natural bone remodeling processes. Ex-vivo bone mineralization studies revealed that Nat-Apatite could promote nanoplatelet-like structures on decalcified bone surfaces. Furthermore, our study found that Nat-Apatite effectively enhanced the cell viability. Additionally, MG63 cells treated with Nat-Apatite showed increased production of calcium nodules, collagen, and alkaline phosphatase levels, suggesting improved osteogenic differentiation and bone formation. Thereby, the prepared Nat-Apatite can be potentially employed for biomedical applications.

Adaptive divergence of seasonal heart plasticity between Canadian and Spanish pumpkinseed sunfish populations

AbstractLaboratory experiments suggest that reversible changes in the heart ventricle phenotype of fish accompany acclimation to temperature change to maintain cardiac function, but related work in fish living in natural conditions is scant. We investigated seasonal variation in heart ventricular mass and collagen content in pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) living in outdoor ponds where they experienced high seasonality conditions. Additionally, we compared populations adapted to high and low seasonality to evaluate potential divergence in seasonal heart plasticity. Heart ventricular mass decreased in the summer compared to colder seasons only in populations adapted to high seasonality. The absence of seasonal variation in ventricular mass in sunfish adapted to low seasonality was not due to changes in foraging activity, suggesting a loss of ventricle size plasticity due to either costs of plasticity or relaxed selection. Seasonal variation in ventricle collagen content also occurred, with the highest collagen content in summer regardless of population adaptation to high or low seasonality. Only the proportion of thick collagen fibres changed across seasons. We conclude that natural seasonal cues induce plastic responses in some functional heart traits and propose that these responses can rapidly diverge among populations under different seasonal regimes.

Comparison of Spectroscopic Techniques Using the Adulteration of Pumpkin Seed Oil as Example

The aim of the present study was to compare different spectroscopic techniques using the example of adulteration of pumpkin seed oil with rapeseed oil in combination with a multivariate regression method. A total of 124 pure seed oils and 96 adulterated samples (adulteration levels from 0.5 to 90.0% w/w) were analyzed using mid infrared, Raman, and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To build quantification models, partial least squares regression (PLS-R) was used. The regression performance parameters, latent variables, and the detection limits (in terms of root mean square error of PLS prediction) calculated when applying the different spectroscopic approaches were compared. For the studied example (pumpkin seed oil adulterated with refined rapeseed oil), the lowest detection limit (3.4% w/w) was obtained for 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. For the mid infrared and Raman spectroscopy, detection limits of 4.8% w/w and 9.2% w/w, respectively, were obtained, which might be used as screening methods.

Investigation of chemical properties and bioactive compounds of oils from different pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.) during maturation

AbstractIn this study, seed and oil yields, protein, and moisture ratios of seeds of four different types of pumpkin seed varieties, namely Palancı population, VD1sn8, and VD1sn6 hybrid varieties and commercial variety grown in Edirne conditions in 2014 and 2015. Also, this study aimed to determine the change of fatty acid, tocopherol, and sterol composition of mentioned pumpkin seed varieties in three different periods from seed formation to final harvest time. During the ripening period, it was obtained that the oil yield increased, the moisture content of pumpkin seeds decreased. In the last harvest period, the oil yield of pumpkin seed varieties was determined to be between 37.21% and 42.07%. Protein ratios of all pumpkin seed species were found to be very close to each other (37.94%–39.28%) and statistically similar (p > 0.05). In 2014 and 2015, the dominant fatty acids for all pumpkin seed varieties are 18:1 (39.49%–46.95%) and 18:2 (32.57%–39.26%). Except for these fatty acids, 16:0 varies between 10.65% and 13.60% in all varieties; 18:0 varies at a ratio of 5.70%–6.38%. It is seen that the dominant tocopherol isomer is γ‐tocopherol for all pumpkin seed species in all harvest periods. In the last harvest period in 2014 and 2015, the amounts of γ‐tocopherol constitute 99.98%–84.95% and 86.91%–89.86% of the total tocopherol, respectively. It was observed that the tocopherol composition changed during the ripening period in all pumpkin seed species (p < 0.05). In general, the amount of sterols decreased during the ripening period for all cultivars in 2014 and 2015. In order from the highest to the least, β‐sitosterol, 5,24‐stigmastadienol, campesterol, Δ‐5 avenasterol, and stigmasterol were determined as phytosterols in pumpkin seed oils. Generally, β‐sitosterol ratios in all varieties were high in the 1st harvest period, decreased slightly in the 2nd harvest period, increased again until the 3rd harvest period and reached the values in the 1st harvest period in both 2014 and 2015.

Modification of Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Pumpkin Seeds Protein Isolate (PsPI) by High-Intensity Ultrasound: Effect of Treatment Time

Modification of Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Pumpkin Seeds Protein Isolate (PsPI) by High-Intensity Ultrasound: Effect of Treatment Time

Estimation and Classification of Physical Parameters Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo L.) Crop S by Soft Computing Tecniques

Determining the seed type is very important for the correct indentification of genetic material. Some plant seeds can not be classified based on their visual diversity or small size by experts. Therefore, in this study was to develop a simple, accurate and rapid using different soft computing tecniques that estimates physical parameters for pumpkin seeds. The current investigation was devoted to determining some properties, such as physical dimensions, surface area, sphericity, density, rupture energy of pumpkin seeds. The methods using in this study are; (1) Multilayer perceptron (MLP); (2) Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS). Different statistic parameters such as coffecient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) are used to evaluate performance of the methods. These selected the best models predicted for plant seeds which can be used in the soft computing tecniques determined alternative approach to estimating the physical properties of estimation and clasification pumpkin seeds.

Thermal tolerance and survival are modulated by a natural gradient of infection in differentially acclimated hosts.

Wild ectotherms are exposed to multiple stressors, including parasites, that can affect their responses to environmental change. Simultaneously, unprecedented warm temperatures are being recorded worldwide, increasing both the average and maximum temperatures experienced in nature. Understanding how ectotherms, such as fishes, will react to the combined stress of parasites and higher average temperatures can help predict the impact of extreme events such as heat waves on populations. The critical thermal method (CTM), which assesses upper (CTmax) and lower (CTmin) thermal tolerance, is often used in acclimated ectotherms to help predict their tolerance to various temperature scenarios. Despite the widespread use of the CTM across taxa, few studies have characterized the response of naturally infected fish to extreme temperature events or how acute thermal stress affects subsequent survival. We acclimated naturally infected pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) to four ecologically relevant temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 25°C) and one future warming scenario (30°C) for 3 weeks before measuring CTmax and CTmin. We also assessed individual survival the week following CTmax. Parasites were counted and identified following trials to relate infection intensity to thermal tolerance and survival. Interestingly, trematode parasites causing black spot disease were negatively related to CTmax, suggesting that heavily infected fish are less tolerant to acute warming. Moreover, fish infected with yellow grub parasites showed decreased survival in the days following CTmax implying that the infection load has negative survival consequences on sunfish during extreme warming events. Our findings indicate that, when combined, parasite infection and high prolonged average temperatures can affect fish thermal tolerance and survival, emphasizing the need to better understand the concomitant effects of stressors on health outcomes in wild populations. This is especially true given that some parasite species are expected to thrive in warming waters making host fish species especially at risk.

Inclusion of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) and pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita moschata) in dairy sheep diets.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed (CS) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed (PS) are used in ruminant diets as energy sources. The current experiment studied the impact of dietary inclusion of CS and PS on nutrient intake and digestibility, milk yield, and milk composition of dairy sheep. Twelve primiparous Texel × Suffolk ewes [70 ± 5 days in milk (DIM); 0.320 ± 0.029 kg milk yield] were distributed in a 4 × 3 Latin square design and fed either a butter-based control diet [CON; 13 g/kg dry matter] or two diets with 61 g/kg DM of either CS or PS. Dietary inclusion of CS and PS did not alter live weight (p >0.1) and DM intake (p >0.1). However, compared to the CON, dietary inclusion of both CS and PS increased the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (p <0.001) and acid detergent lignin (p < 0.001). Milk production (p = 0.001), fat-corrected milk (p < 0.001), and feed efficiency (p < 0.001) were enhanced with PS, while the highest milk protein yield (p < 0.05) and lactose yield (p < 0.001) were for CS-fed ewes. Compared to the CON diet, the ingestion of either CS and/or PS decreased (p < 0.001) the C16:0 in milk. Moreover, both CS and PS tended to enhance the content of C18:3n6 (p > 0.05) and C18:3n3 (p > 0.05). Overall short-term feeding of CS and/or PS (up to 6.1% DM of diet) not only maintains the production performance and digestibility of nutrients but also positively modifies the milk FA composition.

Development of functional cookies form wheat-pumpkin seed based composite flour

To develop high quality cookies, even seemingly smallest changes depended on factors that can affect taste, texture, and nutritional value. In this light, this study aimed to investigate the upshot of refined wheat flour and pumpkin seed flour on properties of cookies such as antioxidant activity, thermal and oxidative stability. In view of the foregoing, the roasted pumpkin seeds of particle size below 500 μm were blended with wheat flour at different ratios (BR) to bake at selected pre-determined temperatures (T) and time durations (TD). The synergetic effect of aforesaid parameters on cookie development, BR, T, and TD was studied by varying the parameters between the range 6–15 %, 180–200 °C and from 8 to 12 min, respectively, for the baking process of cookies. Further, the process was modelled and scrutinized using numerical optimization to achieve a highly acceptable product. On that account, it was deduced that the optimal condition for BR, T, and TD were 12.87 %, 186 °C and 9.5 min, respectively, that could pave to beget the excellent quality cookies with overall acceptance score of 8, protein content 14.28 %, fat 17.85 %, ash 2.23 %, moisture 2.46 %, fiber 2.38 % and total color difference 12.01. The optimized cookies (OCs) were found to have higher protein (11.49–14.28 %), fiber (0.93–2.41 %), ash (2.19–1.77 %), total antioxidant activity (38.7158–43.1860 %), oxidative stability (28.61–51.24 h), Zn (1.42–2.63 mg/100g), and Fe (2.12–3.20 mg/100g) content as compared to the control. Laconically, the study results provided the optimized processing condition for developing high quality cookies with respect to improved nutritional value and comparable overall acceptability.

ANALYSIS OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SELECTED VEGETABLE OILS

Introduction. Vegetable oils are a known source of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA and PUFA). The growing demand for vegetable oils, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, increases the use of new oil plants to obtain them. In this study, the physicochemical properties (density, pH, refractive index, dynamic viscosity, contact angle, surface tension, color) were examined, a spectroscopic analysis was carried out and antioxidant properties were determined. In order to determine the indicated parameters, simple and easily accessible analytical methods were used, which provide key information about the prop erties of oils and serve as indicators for assessing their quality. Six commercially available oils were se lected for the study: evening primrose seeds (Oenothera paradoxa), milk thistle seeds (Silybum maria num), pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita oleo), linseed (Linum usitaissimum L.), winter camelina seeds (Camelina silvestris) and black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa). Results and conclusions. The conducted research provided significant insights into the relationship between the determined parameters of vegetable oils. The positive correlation between density and refrac tive index also highlights the influence of fatty acid composition on these properties. The observed diversi ty of colors of the oils tested highlights the unique composition of dyes characteristic of each oil. It was found that the pH of vegetable oils is a key indicator reflecting the level of acidity in the oil. The correla tion between contact angle and surface tension revealed complex surface interactions.

Composite alginate-based hydrogel delivery of antioxidant pumpkin protein hydrolysate in simulated gastrointestinal condition

Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein (24–36.5%). Some of them are consumed as nuts, while others are regarded as waste and used for feeding animals. Protein hydrolysates from pumpkin seeds possess some bioactive properties, such as anti-oxidant activity. In this work, various composite alginate hydrogels contain Aloe vera, CMC, and tragacanth have been employed to protect PSPH against degradation in simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGI) and regulate its release rate. The encapsulation efficiency of PSPH in plain alginate and beads with Aloe vera, CMC, and tragacanth combinations was 71.63, 75.63, 85.07, and 80.4%, respectively. The release rate of the plain alginate beads was %30.23 in the SGF and %52.26 in the SIF, and decreased in the composite-based beads. The highest decreasing rate in the antioxidant activity during SGI was observed in free PSPH, and the decreasing rate slowed down in the alginate-based composites. The swelling rate in plain alginate was %-23.43 and %25.43 in the SGF and SIF, respectively, and increased in the composite-based beads. The FTIR spectra of hydrogels before and after loading with PSPH showed identical absorption patterns and were similar to each other. Based on the data for SEM, it was revealed that substituting other polymers in polymer combinations with alginates resulted in a porosity reduction of the beads and smoother and more uniform surfaces. Based on the results, the combination of polysacchared with alginate could protect and increase the applicability of PSPH as a functional component in the food industry.

Natural Products in the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction and Infection.

The popularity of natural products for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) differs considerably between countries. Here we discuss the clinical evidence for efficacy in two indications, male LUTS suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia and urinary tract infections, and the mechanistic evidence from experimental studies. Most evidence for male LUTS is based on extracts from saw palmetto berries, stinging nettle roots, and pumpkin seeds, whereas most evidence for urinary tract infection is available for European golden rod and combined preparations although this field appears more fragmented with regard to extract sources. Based on differences in sample collection and extraction, extracts from the same plants are likely to exhibit at least quantitative differences in potential active ingredients, which makes extrapolation of findings with one extract to those of others potentially difficult. While only limited information is available for most individual extracts, some extracts have been compared to placebo and/or active controls in adequately powered trials.

Ameliorative Potential of Pumpkin Seed Oil (Cucurbita pepo L.) Against Tramadol-Induced Oxidative Stress.

The increase in the therapeutic use of tramadol in the management of moderate to severe pains in some disease conditions and its unregulated access has led to its associated toxicity and there is little or no information on the protection against its associated toxicity. Considering the medicinal value of pumpkin seed oil, its availability, and neglected use, it becomes necessary to evaluate the possible potential of the seed oil in tramadol-induced oxidative stress in Wister Albino rats. This study used fifty-six (56) albino rats to determine the impact of Cucurbita pepo seed oil (CPSO) on tramadol-induced oxidative stress. The rats were grouped into 7. After a week of acclimatization, rats in group 1 (normal control) had access to water and food, while rats in group 2 received 5mL/Kg (b.w) of normal saline. 100mg/kg of tramadol (TM) was delivered to groups 3-6 to induce toxicity. The third group (TM control) received no treatment, whilst the other 3 groups (TM-CPSO treatment groups) received 5, 2.5, and 1.5mL/Kg of CPSO, respectively. Group 7 received only 5mL/kg CPSO (CPSO group). Similarly, groups 2 through 7 had unrestricted access to food and water for 42days and received treatments via oral intubation once per day. Indicators of oxidative stress were discovered in the brain homogenate. TM toxicity was demonstrated by a considerable increase (P < .05) in the brain MDA level and a significant drop (P < .05) in the brain GSH level, as well as a significant reduction (P < .05) in GPx, catalase, SOD, GST, and quinone reductase activities. The dose-dependent delivery of CPSO was able to restore not only the activity but also the concentrations of the altered markers.

Aloe Vera Drink Fortification with Free and Microcapsulated Pumpkin Seed Protein Hydrolysate

Aloe Vera Drink Fortification with Free and Microcapsulated Pumpkin Seed Protein Hydrolysate

Water adsorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties of germinated pumpkin seeds flours

Water adsorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties of germinated pumpkin seeds flours

Review: Production Mechanism of Yogurt with Additional Plant-Based High Protein for Vegetarian Consumers

The world of the food industry is increasingly experiencing the development of various food products, but few products still avoid the emergence of cardiovascular diseases. So, many people are starting to adopt a healthy lifestyle by reducing the consumption of animal products and switching to plant-based products. The development of plant-based Yogurt not only provides healthier choices but also meets the needs of consumers who have special preferences or dietary needs. In addition to being low in fat, this Yogurt can be enriched with additional nutrients such as fiber, vegetable protein, and vitamins, which further increase its nutritional value. With the increasing awareness of healthy and environmentally friendly diets, plant-based Yogurt can be an attractive option for many consumers. The potential of high-protein plant-based Yogurt in Indonesia is quite large, considering the availability of ingredients such as ketapang seeds (Terminalia catappa), yellow pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita moschata), or chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) can be used as an addition in Yogurt to add texture and nutrient content such as protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Healthy food design and early childhood nutrition: Nutritional and food safety assessment of fermented and malted multi-grains instant weaning porridge fortified with defatted pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seed flour

Poor-quality diets are one of the most significant barriers to children's survival, growth, development, and learning today. In the context of this experiment, weaning porridge from complementary flour blends of locally available foodstuffs (millet, sorghum, green beans, and pumpkin seeds) was formulated for nutritional, functional, microbiological, and sensory acceptability. The results outlined that all the developed weaning porridge complied with the energy and nutrient density (zinc, iron, and protein) criteria. Energy (2.06-2.08 Kcal/g), protein (4.09-5.44% g/100 Kcal), iron (3.96-4.59 mg/100 Kcal), and calcium (0.39-1.37 mg/100 Kcal) were the nutrient density values identified. The functional features revealed an excellent reconstitution index (5.25-4.53) with a significant difference (P&amp;lt;0.05), a swelling index ranging from 1.03% to 0.57%, and a viscosity ranging from 195.5 cp to 204.5 cp. This study provides valuable insight that complementary foods made from locally available foods are potential solutions for mitigating childhood malnutrition and providing adequate complementation to breastfeeding in resource-poor and technologically underdeveloped countries by providing the needed energy and nutrient densities for immunity, well-being, growth, and development of young children and infants without fortification.

PREVALENCE AND ALLELOPATHIC EFFECT OF PARTHENIUM HYSTEROPHORUS ON CROPS IN SOUTHWEST REGIONS OF BANGLADESH

Periodical weed surveys were conducted during 2020-21in Jashore, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga, Meherpur and Khustia districts of Bangladesh to observethe severity and allelopathic effect of Parthenium hysterophorus on field crops. Parthenium infected the crops differently as observed in rice ( 8.75), maize (11.45%), lentil (12.45%), chickpea (32.40%), field pea (57.63%), jute (57.63%), cotton (13.45%), mustard (63.85%), sesame (17.50%), groundnut (28.35%), pointed gourd(11.50%), pumpkin (8.45%),onion (30.47%), garlic(26.25%), turmeric (17.50%), potato (38.75%), banana(24.33%), sugarcane (60.25%), napiergrass (55.00%) and marigold (11.25%).Allelopathic effect was examinedusing 5% aqueousleaf extract of P. hysterophorus ingermination test and results showedcomplete failure of germination in seeds of sesame, jute, pumpkin, red amaranth, chili, radish and tomato. Seeds of other crops germinated poorly in aqueous solution of parthenium with reduced radicle and plumule growth. Among the different crops, wheat had the highest reduction in radicle (96%) and plumule (94%) length compared to their control.