Pumpkin seeds as Native American herbal remedies and naturopathic skin cancer therapy

Most of us only think of pumpkins as the scary jack-o-lanterns children carve for Halloween, or the magical carriage in an age-old fairy tale. But pumpkin, and especially its seeds, may have more to offer than the traditional pie after an extravagant Thanksgiving dinner.

As far back as 7000 BC, archaeological ruins suggest that early civilizations farmed this annual fruit in what is now recognized as the Puebla region of Southern Mexico. This Native North America plant has survived centuries, and today, the pumpkin, and its relatives in the squash family, are wildly cultivated throughout rest of the world.

Pumpkin has long-stretching vines that can reach up to 26 feet in length, twisting and winding through most anywhere. Each plant has one large yellow flower surrounded by huge, bristly leaves. As any one who has ever carved a pumpkin knows, the inside of the fruit is very fibrous and contains what seems like hundreds of flat whitish seeds.

Native American Indians planted pumpkins together with corn and beans, calling them the “three sisters.” It is said that the vines from the bean would climb the corn stalks and the large leaves form the pumpkin would shade the soil keeping it moist, enabling it to hold the nitrogen released by the beans. When the first setters arrived on North American soil, they saw the huge orange fruits planted in the maize (corn) fields.

The settlers later learned from the Native American Indians that this wonderful fruit was more than a delectable meal and was a remedy for many common ailments of the time. Depending on the area, history records show different Indian tribes using the pumpkin for various complaints. For instance, the Yuma tribe, a sedentary clan that occupied both sides of the Colorado River, was known to use an emulsion of both watermelon and pumpkin to heal wounds.

The Menominee tribe of Wisconsin, would regularly drink a mixture of powdered squash, pumpkin seeds and water, claiming it eased the “passage of urine.” It was also found that a South Carolina tribe, the Catawba, would eat fresh and dried pumpkin seeds as a kidney remedy. The settlers soon found that the seeds, when ground and brewed into a tea, would aid various “female problems”. They also ate the raw seeds to kill parasites. Today, pumpkin seeds are still widely recommended by herbalists as a safe remedy for intestinal worms, including both tape and round worms.

Pumpkin seeds have a long history as an anthelminthic (a substance used to expel worms). Today researchers attribute this herbal remedy to an unusual amino acid, called cucurbitin, found only in the seeds of the pumpkin. The problem according to researchers however, is that the concentration of this amino acid varies significantly from even seed to seed in each pumpkin. One study indicated that the concentration of cucurbitin in several samples of pumpkin seeds ranged from 1.66 to 6.63 percent and this fluctuation was also seen in many other species of pumpkins. This could in theory also account for the conflicting results health professionals claim when they rn seedsservrs as a natural hair loss remedy, which is believed to affect testosterone levelecommend pumpkin seeds as herbal remedy for their patients. The oil extract from pumpkis in the body. The mechanism of action of pumpkin seed extract as a hair loss solution are still under investigation. It is thought that the extract affects the androgen levels that are responsible for hair loss.

The oil extract from pumpkin seeds is also a natural hair loss remedy that is believed to affect levels of testosterone in the body. The beneficial effects of pumpkin seed extract as a hair loss solution are still under investigation. It is thought that the extract affects the androgen levels of diseases and therefore may have an influence on the androgens that are responsible for hair loss.

Pumpkin seeds have also gained an excellent reputation as a preventative and possible curative herbal remedy for prostatic hypertrophy or an enlarged prostate gland. In parts of the Ukraine, Bulgaria and Turkey doctors recommend that their male patients eat a handful of pumpkin seeds each day to reduce their risk of prostate problems. Benign prostrate hyperplasia (BPH) is becoming an all too familiar problem in aging men today. BHP is not cancer and is a situation in which the prostrate gland slowly enlarges, eventually narrowing the urethra opening, causing urine to back up, ultimately resulting in severe irritation and possible infections.

In 1990, 53 men suffering from BPH took part in one of the very few double blind studies conducted on the effectiveness of pumpkin seeds on the disease. Over a three month period, those receiving pumpkin seeds showed significant improvement in such symptoms as weak urine flow, post-void dribbling and time spent urinating.1 As well, and researchers stated that early findings might conclude that the seeds could reduce the hormonal damage inflicted on the enlarged cells, thereby reducing the possibility of prostate cancer.

Researchers surmised that these results could be explained by an estimated 50 percent concentration of fatty oil contained in the seeds which acts like diuretic (urine reliever) relieving extra urine and increasing flow, thereby alluding to a decrease in the swelling. This is not confirmed but researchers do know that pumpkin seed oil also contains a number of fatty acids including 55 percent linoleic acid (a fatty acid also found in red meat) and 25 percent oleic acid (shown to block the action of cancer-causing cells),2 both proven to benefit the prostate. As well, scientists believe that phytoesterols contained in the seeds, may play a part in relieving BPH (Benign prostatic hyperplacia). Germany’s Commission E, similar to the FDA, has approved pumpkin seed for use in bladder problems, including bed-wetting and overactive and irritated bladder, usually associated with BPH.

Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of health supplements Pumpkin seeds contain significant amounts of zinc (also helpful in prostate problems), magnesium, calcium, iron , Vitamin A , vitamin B6 , vitamin C and phosphorous. Many cultures include the seeds as a daily snack in their diet, claiming among other things, that thy prevent impotence, help vision, relieve dizziness, increase milk production in nursing mothers and reduce swelling of the hands and feet associated with pregnancy. Pumpkin is also extremely high in fiber and low in calories. It is estimates that half a cup provides as much as 5 grams of fiber, much more than most cereals.

Pumpkin has been called a ‘super food’ by some researchers who say pumpkin is actually the richest source of carotenoids known. Carotenoids, which are deep orange, yellow or red in color and fat soluble substances, are found in many plants. They are nature’s way of protecting the plant and attracting other species such as bees and birds, for pollination. In total, research has identified 600 carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, beta cryptoxanthin, alpha carotene and zeaxanthin.3 To date, more than 50 carotenoids are found in pumpkin. When you consider that human breast milk only contains 34, it is easy to see why scientists call pumpkin a ‘super food’.

You may recognize beta-carotene and beta cryptoxanthin, which are also known as provitamin A carotenoids because they are converted into Vitamin A by the body. According to research, however, the body can also convert animals sources into Vitamin A, but these sources can deliver toxic amounts of the vitamin, compared to plant sources that are considered harmless.4 Carotenoids have many other properties but most significantly, they are antioxidants that protect against free radicals. These also boost the immune system and regulate the production of natural.

Much research has been done on the benefits of carotenoids and it is found that foods like pumpkin and squash, that are rich in these substances, can decrease the risk of cancers including lung, cervical, colon, breast, bladder and especially skin cancer, since carotenoids are known to protect the skin (and eyes) from the damaging effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.⁵

One 13-year-long study also noted a strong positive relationship between a diet high in carotenoid-rich foods (especially beta and alpha-carotenes) and a decreased risk in heart disease.⁶

Beta carotene is not only a powerful antioxidant, but it is also considered an anti-inflammatory, which prevents the build up of oxidized cholesterol on blood vessel and arterial walls (atherosclerosis), thus reducing the risk of stroke or heart attack. The alpha carotene on the other hand, is widely associated with aging. It appears that alpha carotene can slow the aging process and protect against cataracts and some cancers.

There are no known side effects to eating pumpkin or taking it for medicinal purposes. It is recommended however, that when purchasing products for their healing properties, the seeds contain 30 percent of the unsaturated fats (linoleic and oleic fatty acids).

References:

1. Carbin BE, Larsson B, Lindahl O “Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with phytosterols”, Br J Urol, 1990;66:639–41.
2. Reuters, London, “Oleic acid key to olive oil’s anti-cancer effect: Study shows why Mediterranean diet is good for you”, Jan. 10, 2005.
3. Krinsky NI, “The antioxidant and biological properties of the carotenoids”, Ann NY Acad Sci, 1998;854:443-7.
4. Russell RM, “Physiological and clinical significance of carotenoids”, Int J Vitam Nutr Res, 1998;68:349-53.
5. Gerster H, “Anticarcinogenic effect of common carotenoids”, Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1993;63:93-121.
6. Levy Y, Kaplan M, Ben-Amotz A, Aviram M, “Effect of dietary supplementation of beta-carotene on human monocyte-macrophage-mediated oxidation of low density lipoprotein”, Isr J Med Sci. 1996 Jun; 32(6):473-8.