Cucurbita pepo, one of the most popular edible plants, is widely used as functional food and medicinal remedies around the world, due to the presence of numerous biologically active components with interesting nutraceutical properties like carotenoids, hypoglycemic polysaccharides, minerals, pectin, polyphenols, saponins, tocopherols, vitamins, cucurbitacins, various anti-fungal proteins, essential fatty acids, essential and nonessential amino acids, and fibre. The edible round-fruited types of Cucurbita pepo are called pumpkins. Most parts of the pumpkin (fruit, flowers, and the seeds) have various health benefits including antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective, lipid-lowering, and hypotensive. This short review aims to discuss the antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic benefits of pumpkin.
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