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PUMPKIN (Cucurbita pepo L.) +++Synonyms: Cucumis pepo (L.) Dumort., Cucurbita mammeata Molina.
TRAMIL data based on C. moschata Duchesne.
Activities (Pumpkin) — 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor (1; BGB); Antiaggregant (1; TRA); Anti-
androgenic (1; BGB); Antidiabetic (f; JFM); Antiedemic (1; SHT); Antiinflammatory (1; PHR;
PH2; SHT); Antioxidant (1; PHR; PH2); Antiproliferant (1; JNU); Antiprostatitic (1; APA; FNF);
Antipyretic (f; JFM); Cicatrizant (1; TRA); Demulcent (f; WBB); Diuretic (1; BGB; FNF; JFM;
WBB); Herbicide (f; WAM); Neurotonic (f; EFS); Pectoral (f; JFM); Taenicide (1; BGB; WBB);
Vermifuge (1; APA; BGB; PH2; WBB); Vulnerary (f; PHR).
Indications (Pumpkin) — Adenoma (1; SHT); Asthenia (f; TRA); Bladder Stone (2; BGB); BPH
(1; APA; BIS; FNF; SHT); Burn (f; TRA); Cancer (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, eye (1; FNF; JLH);
Cancer, liver (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, lung (1; JNU); Cancer, mouth (1; FNF; JLH); Corn (f; JLH);
Coryza (f; JFM); Cystosis (2; APA; BGB; PHR; PH2); Debility (f; TRA); Dermatosis (f; TRA);
Diabetes (f; JFM); Diarrhea (f; JFM); Dropsy (f; DEM); Dyspepsia (f; DEM); Dysuria (1; BGB;
PH2; SHT); Edema (f; DEM); Enuresis (1; BGB); Fever (f; JFM); Inflammation (1; PHR; PH2;
SHT); Jaundice (f; JFM); Measles (f; JFM); Nephrosis (f; PHR; PH2); Ophthalmia (f; JLH);
Oxalcrystalluria (2; BGB); Parasite (1; PH2); Prostatosis (1; APA; PHR; PH2); Psoriasis (1; TRA);
Rheumatism (f; DEM); Roundworm (1; APA); Smallpox (f; JFM); Sore (f; JFM); Sprain (f; JFM);
Stomatosis (f; JLH); Swelling (1; SHT); Syphilis (f; JFM); Tapeworm (1; APA; BGB; JFM; PH2;
WBB); Tumor (f; JLH); Wart (f; JLH); Worm (1; APA; BGB; PH2; WBB); Wound (1; DEM; TRA).
Dosages (Pumpkin) — Seeds are food farmacy! 60–500 g seed (APA); average single dose 50 g;
100–200 shelled seed kernels = 30–60 g (HHB); 10 g crushed seed (PHR; PH2; SHT).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Pumpkin) — Class 1 (AHP; JAD).“Hazards
and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). There are no known side
effects or drug-drug interactions (PIP). Varro Tyler cautioned against self medication with BPH.
Whenever treating BPH, a practitioner should be involved. Base-line levels of PSA should be
established before considering an herbal treatment (JAD).
Extracts (Pumpkin) — Pumpkin seeds have delta-7-sterols and selenium, which have antiinflam-
matory activity. Similar in conformation to dihydrotestosterone (PH2); these sterols can displace
the product of 5-a-reductase from androgen receptors dose-dependently. Some argue that cucurb-
itacins may prevent conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, but Bisset notes that at least
some seeds contain no cucurbitacins. One study in Thailand study showed that the seed lowered