CYTOTOXICITY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF PUMPKIN SEED (CUCURBITA MAXIMA LINN.) EXTRACT.

Abstract

Pumpkin (Curcurbita maxima) is a popular vegetable in our country. This plant is locally known as “Mistikumra”.Pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) seeds are a key food source for humans because they are a very good source of proteins (24−36.5%) and oil (31.5−51%)Pumpkin seeds have long been valued as an important natural food for men’s health. Pumpkin seed extract is useful for immunomodulation, reproductive health and therapeutic advantage over a wide range of disease conditions. The intake of a whole extract of pumpkin seeds has been correlated with reduced benign prostate hyperplasia-associated symptoms. The antioxidative property of pumpkin seed extract could also improve fertility, and it helps to prevent arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and heart diseases; it also stimulates metabolism of accumulated fats.It has potential for allergic reactions to pumpkin that is side effect of pumpkin seeds. Cytotoxic effect of Pumpkin (Curcurbita maxima) seed  was studied against brine shrimp nauplii. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the LD₅₀ value of methanol extracts and petroleum ether fraction of Pumpkin (Curcurbita maxima) seed were determined and found to be 31.70 ppm and 21.95 ppm respectively. As the petroleum ether fraction showed greater cytotoxic effect we made further study with this fraction.   The petroleum ether fraction was subjected to thin layer chromatography on slica gel that yielded four fractions designated as PE-1, PE-2, PE-3, and PE-4, among them only PE-4 was suitable for further purification because it gave single band on two dimensional TLC. The PE-4 may be steroid because it showed pink colour after spraying vanillin sulfuric acid. The IR data revealed that the isolated PE-4 compound contained aromatic ring and ketonic groups (-CO-). NMR and Mass spectral analysis is further needed to elucidate the molecular structure of the compound. The experiments showed that it has a cytotoxic effect and IR data proved that it is steroid compound.

Key words: Curcurbita maxima, cytotoxic , Mistikumra, Chromatography, Bangladesh