Pumpkin seed oil and zinc attenuate chronic mild stress perturbations in the cerebral cortex of rats

Purpose This study aims to investigate the potential of pumpkin seed oil (PSO) and zinc to attenuate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation caused by chronic mild stress (CMS) in the cerebral cortex of male rats. Design/methodology/approach The rats were submitted to stress for six weeks and then the behavior of the rats was tested by forced swimming test (FST) and novel cage test. The treated groups were given venlafaxine (20 mg/kg), pumpkin seed oil (40 mg/kg) and zinc (4 mg/kg). The cortex homogenate was used for the detection of the oxidative stress parameters, the concentration of neurotransmitters, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β), Na+/K+-ATPase activity, and the expression of histamine N-methyltransferase (Hnmt) and tyrosine hydroxylase (Th). Findings CMS causes a significant increase in immobility time in the FST and a significant decrease in the number of rearing in the novel cage test. CMS group showed a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, levels of cortisol, TNF-α, IL-1β, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde. CMS caused a significant decrease in the concentrations of serotonin, GABA, norepinephrine, and the activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase and Na+/K+-ATPase. CMS caused a marked reduction in the expression of Hnmt and Th in the cortex. PSO and zinc attenuated the Na+/K+-ATPase activity, oxidative parameters and neuroinflammation induced by the CMS, and this was reflected by the elevation of the concentration of neurotransmitters and reduction of cortisol and ALT, in addition to the behavior normalization. PSO and zinc attenuated the CMS by improving the antioxidant milieu and anti-inflammatory status of the cerebral cortex. Originality/value There are no studies on the effect of pumpkin seed oil on depression

SYSTEM APPROACH TO STUDYING THE TECHNOLOGY OF PUMPKIN SEEDS POST-HARVEST TREATMENT

The main technical task of agricultural production in the field of seed production is to obtain conditional seeds that meet national and international quality standards. One of the important stages of growing agricultural seeds is their post-harvest processing, which includes the drying process, which is the main and one of the most effective methods for storing and processing agricultural raw materials. It is possible to increase the efficiency of the technology of post-harvest treatment of pumpkin seeds by determining the possibilities of using a systematic approach to solving the problems of implementing measures and means, identifying the mechanism of functioning and developing its effectiveness. Modeling and systems analysis are the main research methods and agricultural technology systems. Systems analysis is widely used in the study of various branches of agricultural production. The article discusses the main features of the components of the technology of post-harvest treatment of pumpkin seeds, forming a certain hierarchical system: technology - technological process - technological operation. The input factors of the pumpkin seed drying system will be such indicators as the supply of the input material, its moisture content, the parameters of the drying agent, and the quality indicators of the input material. A structural diagram of pumpkin seed production has been developed and the target function of the system in matrix form and an algorithm for the implementation of the target function of the pumpkin seed production system have been selected. The matrix of the objective function and the algorithm for its implementation can be used to analyze the pumpkin seed production system as a whole at the level of an individual enterprise, and by individual elements to find bottlenecks in this technology.

Fatty Acids of Semi-Hard Cheese Made from Milk of Goats Fed Diets Enriched with Extruded Linseed or Pumpkin Seed Cake

The addition of oilseeds and their cakes to the diets of lactating dairy goats is an alternative to supplemental feeding, which improves the lipid profile of goat cheeses. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a diet containing extruded linseed or pumpkin seed cake on the fatty acid profile of semi-hard cheese made from goat milk. The research was carried out with 28 French Alpine goats fed the following diets: 1—basal diet based on extruded soybean and soybean meal; 2—basal diet with 90 g/kg DM extruded linseed (ELS); and 3—basal diet with 160 g/kg DM pumpkin seed cake (PSC). Bulk milk from three separated milk tanks at three samplings was used for the manufacture of four traditional semi-hard cheeses from each milk tank at each sampling on the family farm. The ELS and PSC diets increased fat content in the cheese. The ELS feeding increased the proportion of C18:1 c9, C18:2 c9t11, and C18:3 n-3 in cheese and lowered C8:0, C6:0, and C16:0, while PSC resulted in the highest C18:2 n-6 proportions in the cheese. The health-promoting index was the highest in the cheese of ELS. The ELS had a contribution to higher nutritional and health quality of semi-hard traditional goat cheeses, thus representing a food with health-promoting properties.

Effect of processing on vitamin A and some mineral contents of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seed

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds are important food materials used by most Nigerian families due to their delicious taste, aroma and appeal. In this study, changes between chemical composition of processed and unprocessed pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita maxima) was investigated. The nutritional compositions were analyzed by standard methods. The vitamin A contents 36.83 μg/100g and 33.72 μg/100g respectively. The copper, zinc, magnesium,phosphorus and iron contents of processed seeds were; 0.063, 0.43, 47.67, 58.19 and 610.77 ppm respectively while the values for unprocessed were; 0.047, 0.41, 36.73, 58.45 and 211.19 ppm respectively with significant difference between the processed and unprocessed. The finding suggests that pumpkin seed is rich in this vitamin and minerals. If utilized efficiently. It can also ameliorate micronutrients deficiency problem in population of all age groups.

Flavonoids in Benign Prostate Hypertrophy: Identification in Herbal Preparations and Molecular Docking Approach

The benefits of phytotherapy in Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are of interest where they may lack side effects at long-term therapy. Through plant-derived preparations are Saw palmetto and Pumpkin seed oil. Evidence suggests that fatty acids, phytosterols, tocopherols, and flavonoids are the active components responsible for alleviating BPH symptoms. Flavonoids are reported to inhibit BPH through different mechanisms. Reducing inflammation and lowering reactive oxygen species are amongst the proposed mechanisms. In vitro studies highlighted the role of flavonoids in 5-alpha reductase II (5ARII) inhibitory activity. In this study, herbal preparations known to treat BPH were subjected to LC/MS/MS analysis integrated with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) to identify the content of flavonoids. A molecular docking study was conducted on the assigned flavonoids to predict the binding mode and interaction with the targeted 3D- crystal structure of the human 5ARII enzyme. Results showed the existence of seven flavonoids and a polyphenol compound. Sakuranetin, Isorhamnetin, and Chlorogenic acid were not reported before. Molecular docking outcomes revealed that Astragalin, Isoquercitrin, Quercetin, and Chlorogenic acid have similar binding affinity to the reference Finasteride compound. These findings suggest flavonoids as potent potential inhibitors of 5ARII and could proceed to in vitro investigations.

Amelioration of related complications by the combined usage of Gymnadenia orchidis Lindl and pumpkin seed in type 2 diabetic mice

Background Inflammation, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and cell damage are the major patho-physiological reasons behind type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which is one of the most prevalent non communicable metabolic disorders in the world. Oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin shots are usually exercised to treat the diabetic patients but it produces many side effects. Thereby paving the way for natural hypoglycemic agents; a Himalayan herb and alternative nutritional therapy; low glycaemic indexed pumpkin seed, are used in combination for a better management of the disease. Objectives To explore the combined efficacy of Gymnadenia orchidis Lindl root Salep and low-glycemic indexed-pumpkin seeds in better management of T2DM and associated complications. Methods Balb/c mice were randomly allocated to six different groups (n=5). Streptozotocin along with high-fat-diet was used to induce T2DM. The experimental animals were supplemented with low-glycemic food or root Salep (200 mg/kg body weight) or combination of both according to their groups for 21 days, post which various biochemical tests were performed. Results T2DM augmented the IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, BAX, Insulin levels, and HOMA-IR with concurrent reduction of IL-4, QUICKI, Bcl-2, estradiol and progesterone levels. FACS revealed augmented cellular damage in T2DM mice. Interestingly, root Salep and pumpkin seeds normalized those parameters in T2DM animals suggesting significant (p<0.001) improvement of immunity of the diseased animals and ameliorated associated complications. Conclusions Root Salep and pumpkin seed display synergism among binomial set of herbal agents which may be safely used for T2DM management.

Phytosterols in hull-less pumpkin seed oil, rich in Δ7-phytosterols, ameliorate benign prostatic hyperplasia by lowing 5α-reductase and regulating balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis in rats

Background: Pumpkin seed oil is widely used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in elder men. However, its active components and mechanism have remained to be elucidated. Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the active components of pumpkin seed oil and its mechanism against BPH. Design: Total phytosterol (TPS) was isolated from hull-less pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Styriaca) seed oil and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Three phytosterols were purified by preparative HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) and confirmed by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). TPS (3.3 mg/kg body weight, 1 mL/day/rat) was administered intragastrically to the testosterone propionate-induced BPH rats for 4 weeks. The structure changes of prostate tissues were assessed by hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining. The expression of androgen receptor (AR) and steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC-1) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, while that of 5α-reductase (5AR), apoptosis, or proliferation-related growth factors/proteins was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction or western blotting. Results: The ∆7-phytosterols in TPS reached up to 87.64%. Among them, 24β-ethylcholesta-7,22,25-trienol, 24β-ethylcholesta-7,25(27)-dien-3-ol, and ∆7-avenasterol were confirmed by NMR. TPS treatment significantly ameliorated the pathological prostate enlargement and restored histopathological alterations of prostate in BPH rats. It effectively suppressed the expressions of 5AR, AR, and coactivator SRC-1. TPS inhibited the expression of proliferation-related growth factor epidermal growth factor, whereas it increased the expressions of apoptosis-related growth factor/gene transforming growth factor-β1. The proliferation-inhibiting effect was achieved by decreasing the ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) phosphorylation, while apoptosis was induced by Caspase 3 activation through JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 phosphorylation. Conclusion: TPS from hull-less pumpkin seed oil, with ∆7-phytosterols as its main ingredients, is a potential nutraceutical for BPH prevention.

Use of new similarities Bl and Blturb. to optimize the calculation and selection of heat exchange equipment for working with nanofluid coolants

The problem of correct, exact calculation and selection of the optimal heat exchange equipment at use in it of nanoliquid heat carriers was investigated in the work. Classical numerical equations, which are widely used in the calculation and selection of heat exchangers with nanofluids, especially at temperatures above 50 °C, give an error of (15–20) % or more. This leads to the fact that the selected heat exchange equipment may not work efficiently with excessive consumption of thermal energy. A new approach to heat transfer processes is considered, taking into account the theory of J. Businesque, which gives an idea of turbulent viscosity and thermal conductivity, as well as comparing the resistance of the coolant flow to the nanoparticle with surface forces and considering turbulent fluid as Newtonian. It is shown that the consideration of the behavior of a nanoparticle in a turbulent liquid coolant without taking into account surface forces is inaccurate and erroneous. The physical content of the previously obtained new numbers of similarity Bl and Blturb is considered and the possibility of their effective application in the new numerical equation obtained by us for the calculation of heat exchangers using nanofluid coolants is shown. The existing express method of estimating the efficiency of nanorluids use in heat exchangers on the basis of classical numerical equations is analyzed and a new express method on the basis of a new numerical equation and new numbers of similarity Bl and Blturb is proposed. The proposed express calculation method shows that a mixture of H2O + EG (60:40) improves the heat transfer properties of water by + 12.86 %, and a mixture of (H2O + EG (60:40) + 1.5 % TiO2) and (milk) + 0.5 % pumpkin seed oil) – by +16.75 %, which corresponds to the experiments and our calculations, and the known express method based on classical numerical equations shows a deterioration of – 4.5 % and, accordingly, by – 1.2 %. An example of calculating the optimal shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to the new algorithm when heating milk with hot water with the addition of mixtures (H2O + EG (60:40) + 1.5 % TiO2) and accordingly (milk + 0.5 % pumpkin seed oil) fully confirms the correctness of the new express –method.