Interested in the uses of pumpkin seed in Chinese medicine? Find out how the Chinese have made use of this powerful seed in their herbal remedies for various diseases.
Pumpkin seeds have long been considered as medicinal herbs botanically known by the name Cucurbita Pepo. The plant with its flowers and fruit is used for eating by human beings and preparing feed for cattle. The seeds of the plants however have been used by the Chinese as a vital ingredient in many medicines.
The pumpkin seed measures roughly 2 cm in length and has a broad ovate shape. It is flat from the top and has a whitish color. It is inodorous in scent and has a very bland and oily taste.
Pumpkin seeds and their medicinal properties
The pumpkin seed is rich in reddish fixed oil which is supposed to be a potent source of palmitic, glycerides and oleic acids. The Chinese have derived many medical benefits from pumpkin seeds. The seed is used in herbal formulas targeted at curing urinary and strangury affections. It also helps to provide relief against gastritis, febrile and enteritis.
Usually the infusion of the seed is drunk freely. When the expressed oil is extracted from the seed it is taken in the form of a few drops several times in a day. Pumpkin seeds are most potent in providing quick relief from spasmodic affections of the urinary passages, scalding of the urine and gonorrhoea. It has further reported to be effective in providing relief from rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol, parasitic infestation and elevated blood lipids. The seed is also potent with tryptophan which is a substance that helps in the treatment of insomnia and is also used as nutritious cooking oil.
The pumpkin seed has also shown to have anti arthritic properties. The oil derived from the seed is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids having a synergistic effect on the body. The powerful medicinal seed is rich in Vitamin E, tocotrienols and tocopherol.
Pumpkin seeds have also been used in order to provide treatment against Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. The free fatty acid, zinc and plant sterol present in the pumpkin seed are responsible for giving it these properties. As mentioned above it is these same properties that help to enhance the function of the bladder and urethra which consequently provides relief from BPH symptoms.
The seed is rich in cucurbitin which is considered to be an amino acid with anti parasitic properties. Individuals suffering from acute shistosomiasis which is considered to be an extremely severe parasitic disease have benefited by the use of pumpkin seed in Chinese herbal medicines. Chinese herbal medicines containing pumpkin seeds have also been helpful in treating tapeworm infestations.
The antioxidant and essential fatty acid content of the pumpkin seeds makes it a valuable addition in herbal formulas aimed at lowering the cholesterol in the body. The pumpkin seed is such a potent and powerful herb that eating it as a snack can actually prevent the development of kidney stones.
Today many commercial supplements of pumpkin seeds are available in the market ranging from raw pumpkin seeds to pumpkin seed oil, anti parasite formula as well as cosmetic items.
