There were multiple reasons for including pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo) within our Cholest-Natural formula.
It has been found, when used in conjunction with cholesterol lowering drugs, to increase the overall lipid lowering effects. It has also been found that the side effects of the cholesterol drug were also reduced when PSO was administered. Similar positive results have been found in use of PSO next to anti-hypertensive medication. The blood pressure lowering is due to the essential fatty acids.
Pumpkin seeds are rich sources of fatty acids. The four dominant fatty acids are palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid. Analysis of the powerful pigments found in pumpkin seed oil reveal a number of carotenoids such as beta carotene, lutein and alpha-carotene.
Because many people also take additional supplements whilst taking the Xtend-Life Cholest-Natural formula, the pumpkin seed oil enabled the inclusion of a rich source of natural minerals, in particular zinc and selenium, with no risk. By supplying these and other minerals in this form it eliminates the potential of overdosing in some of these minerals, which although essential should not be taken in excess.
Published Clinical Studiescl top
1
Efficacy of simvastatin and pumpkin-seed oil in the management of dietary-induced hypercholesterolemia.
al-Zuhair H, Abd el-Fattah AA, Abd el Latif HA.
Pharmacol Res. 1997 May;35(5):403-8.
Pharmacology and Biochemistry Departments, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Pumpkin-seed oil (PSO), a natural supplement rich with antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), was given in combination with simvastatin, as antihypercholesterolemic drug, to high cholesterol-fed rabbits, for three weeks. In comparison with normal rabbits, a significant increase of the aortic contractile response to norepinephrine was observed which could be attributed to endothelium dysfunction. In addition, serum levels of total lipids, triacylglycerols, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were increased while phospholipids and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were decreased in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. These changes could be related to the predominance of LDL and oxidized-LDL particles caused by high levels of reactive oxygen species during hypercholesterolemia (HC). Treatment with simvastatin modulated most of the altered parameters affected during HC that might be, in part, due to inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis. While concomitant administration of simvastatin and PSO succeeded to cause marked reduction of the aortic contractile response to norepinephrine and to normalize the most adverse effects observed during HC. These effects were explained by the potentiating effects of simvastatin with antioxidants and essential fatty acids in PSO. On the contrary, serum activities of aminotransferases and creatine phosphokinase were increased with simvastatin treatment but not with the combination therapy in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
PMID: 9299202 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Variability of fatty acid content in pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.).2
Murkovic M, Hillebrand A, Winkler J, Leitner E, Pfannhauser W.
Z Lebensm Unters Forsch. 1996 Sep;203(3):216-9.
Graz University of Technology, Department of Bio- and Food Chemistry, Austria. Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) seed oil is a common salad oil which is produced in Slovenia, Hungary and the southern parts of Austria.
It is dark green and has a high content of free fatty acids. The seed itself can be eaten. Due to its colour and the foam formation, the oil cannot be used for cooking. The content of vitamin E, especially gamma-tocopherol, is very high. The oil content of the pumpkin seed is about 50%. The variability in the oil content is very high resulting from a broad genetic diversity. Thus a breeding programme for increasing the oil productivity is very promising. The four dominant fatty acids are palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids. These four fatty acids make up 98 +/- 0.13% of the total amount of fatty acids, others being found at levels well below 0.5%.
PMID: 8873459 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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