Pumpkin BOTANY. C.pepo is today widely cultivated as food and for decorative purpose, in all warm and temperate parts of the globe.

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1 Pumpkin BOTANY Cucurbita pepo L. (syn.: Cucurbita aurantia Willd., Cucúrbita melopepo L., Pepo vulgaris Moench.; English name: summer pumpkin), with all its evolved cultivars, is a herbaceous, monoecious, annual plant of the Cucurbitaceae family, with prostrate or climbing, branched stem, up to 10 m long. The sharply faceted stem bears branched tendrils and like the leaves is covered with stiff, spiny hairs. The hispid-setose leaves are erect, cordate, often deeply lobed, with rounded somewhat incisions between lobes and serrate margins. The solitary flowers arise from axils of the leaves: the male flowers have a peduncle of cm, a calyx with very small sepals, a campanulate deep yellow corolla, 7-10 cm in diameter, with erect, ovate, acute or acuminate lobes and 3 stamens. The female flowers are similar to the male ones, with shorter peduncle, small staminodes, and inferior ovary of various shape. The fruiting peduncle is 5-ribbed, hard, angular, not or only slightly enñarged so at its point of attachment to the fruit. The fruit of C.pepo is cm in diameter, very variable in shape and colour, with fibrous flesh. The numerous, white to yellowish-white seeds separate easily from the pulp, they are broadly elliptical, flattened, with a smooth margin, 7-20 mm long and 8-12 mm broad. The fruits are harvested at maturity, from August to October in the northern hemisphere and from February to April in the southern hemisphere. C.pepo is today widely cultivated as food and for decorative purpose, in all warm and temperate parts of the globe. Pumpkin extract is produced from the fruit of Cucurbita pepo. V 02-06/ ,

2 CHEMISTRY Carbohydrates Pumpkin pulp is very rich in carbohydrates (65, ,809 ppm). Mono and oligosaccharides The sugars that prevail in vegetables are glucose and the fructose (0,3-4 %) as well as saccharose (0,1-12 %). Other sugars exist in small quantities; in Cucurbitaceae manitol has been detected. Polysaccharides The starch is widely distributed as reserve carbohydrate. Other polysaccharides are cellulose, hemicellulose and pectins. Vitamins The table 1 shows the main vitamins that are found in pumpkin. Vitamins Content (ppm) α-tocoferol Ascorbic acid 90-1,071 Niacin 6-71 Riboflavin Thiamin Table 1. Vitamin content in pumpkin ( Carotenoids Carotenoids give pumpkin its coloration. In pumpkin we find the following carotenoids: cucurbitaxanthin and β-carotene ( ppm). V 02-06/ ,

3 Proteins Proteins in pumpkin are composed of the following amino acids: Amino acids Content (ppm) Arginine 370-6,429 Cystine Glycine 270-8,000 Histidine 140-1,905 Isoleucine 310-3,690 Lysine 470-6,429 Table 2. Amino acid composition of the proteins of the pumpkin ( Minerals Main minerals in pumpkin are shown in the table 3. Minerals Content (ppm) Boron 1 Calcium 210-2,500 Magnesium 120-1,429 Phosphorus 440-5,238 Potassium 3,400-40,476 Sodium Table3.Mineral content in pumpkin( TRADITIONAL USES The name of the genus, Cucurbita, is the old latin name of the pumpkin plant, which is derived from the Greek word Kyrtos = bulging, because of the fruit shape. Another possible origin is from the Latina prefix cum and the verb curvo (curvatus) or also from the word orbita which means circular line. The name od the species, pepo, is the old Latin name of the fruit and derives from the Greek pepon (verb pepto = to cook), cooked by sun. C.pepo has been cultivated since the earliest times, as evidenced by archaeological findings in Mexico and North America. The oldest find is from Caño del Diablo, Tamaulipas and dates back to 14,000 B.C. V 02-06/ ,

It is convenient for those who have digestive problems, as dyspepsia (difficult digestion), acidity of stomach, constipation, fermentations or intestinal rots; haemorrhoids (for its conditioning

4 (dating with 14 C method). Most authors hold that the wild ancestor of C.pepo is C.texana (Scheele) Gray. Pumpkin flesh is very rich in carbohydrates. It is the emollient (conditioning one) of the whole digestive conduit, and possesses light diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. It is convenient for those who have digestive problems, as dyspepsia (difficult digestion), acidity of stomach, constipation, fermentations or intestinal rots; haemorrhoids (for its conditioning action and lightly laxative); renal affections (as complementary treatment): renal insufficiency, nephritis, oedemas (retention of liquids) or renal calculations. COSMETIC PROPERTIES Action on the skin Pumpkin is rich in sugars like glucose and fructose, hygroscopic sugars that absorb and retain water under certain conditions, which make pumpkin a good moisturizing agent. Several moisturizing agents are polyols, namely they have many hydroxyl groups, which attract and retain water. Glycerine and sorbitol are good examples of polyols extensively used in hair products for preserving the moisture level of hair. Sugars like glucose and fructose fit in the chemical definition of polyol. Some carbohydrates are able to remain on the surface of the stratum corneum, thus acting as moisturizing and filmogenic substances, which noticeably improve skin biomechanical properties. Moisturizing agents are compounds, which contribute to maintain the skin water-balance. Moisturizers contribute flexibility to the stratum corneum; they facilitate desquamation through their action on corneodesmosomes and affect the lipids, which exert the barrier function. Filmogenic agents are macromolecules, which remain on the stratum corneum surface, where they retain water and improve the barrier function. Therefore, pumpkin is recommendable to formulate emollient, moisturizing and filmogenic cosmetic products. Activity at the epidermal and dermal level It is due to its vitamin content. In terms of beauty and functionality, current studies have indicated that certain vitamins and their derivatives enhance the performance of cosmetics and toiletries. Furthermore, laboratory and clinical tests have provided strong evidence that those vitamins, at proper levels, play an V 02-06/ ,

5 important role for the protective, corrective, and renewal processes of hair, skin and nails. Laboratory and clinical studies have indicated a useful role for topically applied vitamins in combating various skin disorders, especially to aid in preventing, retarding, or arresting certain degenerative changes associated with the aging process, such as dry and scaly skin, and the formation of wrinkles. In addition, the naturalness of vitamins has prompted their use in creams and lotions to maintain a soft and smooth skin by replenishing nature s moisture. Of particular interest to cosmetic formulations are vitamins E, A, C, panthenol and their derivatives. These vitamins are functional; penetrate skin (pantenol and vitamin E also penetrate hair and nails); and, when used at proper levels, are safe and free of side effects (Idson B, 1993). The flattening of dermoepidermal junctions is an evident symptom of ageing. Histology shows less deep interdigitations between the epidermis and the dermal papillae. Very aged skin shows almost no papillae; its dermo-epidermal junctions appear as a flat layer instead of showing the undulating pattern of younger skin. Every dermal papilla contains a capillary; these capillaries are progressively lost in aged skin. It has been observed that Vitamin C can improve the aspect of photo-aged skin and stimulate the synthesis of collagen and elastin. Sauerman K. et al. (2004) in a series of clinical research studies observed that local applications of vitamin C partially restored the anatomic structure of dermoepidermal junctions of young skin and increased the number of dermal papillae capillaries in the aged skin of post-menopausal women. According to these results, local applications of vitamin C have a remarkable restoring effect on the structural and functional characteristics of aged skin. As mentioned above, one of the actions of vitamin C is to act as a co-factor in the synthesis of collagen. Vitamin C is essential for proline hydroxylation to occur and consequently, it is essential to produce and maintain the integrity of collagen. Different studies have demonstrated that it can also directly stimulate the collagen synthesis by activating the transcription of the pro-collagen mrna and stabilizing it. Additionally, vitamin C decreases the production of metalloproteinase enzymes in the extracellular matrix (metalloproteinases stimulate collagen degradation in the dermis). In a study carried out with human volunteers, vitamin C 5% was applied on one of their forearms and placebo on the other, during a 6 months treatment. Skin biopsies of the vitamin C-treated forearms showed increased synthesis of the mrnas for collagen I, collagen III and extracellular-matrix metalloproteinase 1 inhibitor. Interestingly, the best results were observed for the subjects, who followed the poorest vitamin C diets (Chiu A. & Kimball AB., 2003). The collagen synthesis stimulating activity gives vitamin C wound-healing properties useful to treat injuries from traumatisms, skin burn or surgery. It is also beneficial for new tissue formation. Therefore, pumpkin is recommendable to formulate toning, wound-healing and anti-ageing cosmetic products. V 02-06/ ,

6 COSMETIC APPLICATIONS Action Active Cosmetic application On the skin At the epidermal and dermal level Sugars Vitamins Moisturizing Emollient Filmogenic Toning Wound-healing Anti-aging RECOMMENDED DOSE The recommended dose is between 0.5% and 5.0%. BIBLIOGRAPHY Alonso, J. Tratado de Fitofármacos y Nutracéuticos. Barcelona: Corpus, 2004, p: (633.8 ALO). Belitz HD. & Grosch W. Química de los Alimentos. Zaragoza: Ed.Acribia S.A, Chapter 17 (613 BEL). Bissett D.L. Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance. Dermatol Surg ; 31 (7 Pt 2): Bombardelli E & Morazzoni P. Cucurbita pepo L. Fitoterapia, 1997; vol 68 (4): (ref. 2378). Bruneton J. Farmacognosia. Zaragoza: Ed. Acribia, 2001; p: (651*1 BRU). Chiu A. & Kimball AB. Topical vitamins, minerals and botanical ingredients as modulators of enviromental and chronological skin damage. Br J Dermatol., 2003; 149: Idson B. Vitamins and the Skin. Cosmetics & Toiletries, 1993; 108:(12): (ref. 1202). Sauermann K. et al. Topically applied vitamin C increases the density of dermal papillae in aged human skin. BMC Dermatology, 2004; 4 (1):13. Web sites: [accessed April 2006]. [accessed April 2006]. V 02-06/ ,

Citrullus vulgaris Schrader or Citrullus lanatus belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, and it is commonly known as watermelon.

Watermelon BOTANY Citrullus vulgaris Schrader or Citrullus lanatus belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, and it is commonly known as watermelon. Watermelons are native to the Kalahari Desert of Southern