Thursday, November 05, 2009
Pumpkin
Are we on the verge of the announcement of another superfruit?
A report on a new study published in the Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry described the antimicrobial properties of pumpkin skin.
South Korean researchers at the Research Center for Proteineous Materials at Chosun University mashed pumpkin rinds and subjected the fungus Candida albicans to several proteins found in the extract.
They identified a protein (Pr-2, which might possibly stand for 'pumpkin rind 2") in the extract that strongly inhibited the growth of the Candida fungus, suggesting that it could be developed and used in anti-fungal therapy.
Candida causes vaginal yeast infections and diaper rash.
The scientists also noted that pumpkins have been used in traditional medicine and that 'the antibiotic effects of pumpkin have been analysed, along with its anti-diabetic, anti-hypertension, anti-tumour, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic (prevention of genetic mutation) effects'.
Los Angeles Times
Labels: pumkin
