The Sourdough School

Baking eating and sharing bread to improve physical and mental health

Using a robust evidence-based baking protocol combining the evidence of thousands of years of baking with modern clinical insights, we offer comprehensive training to bakers and healthcare professionals, providing students with the tools to use baking in everyday practice as a wellness intervention.
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481 - ‘Antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects of pumpkin seed oil’. Journal of Medicinal Food. 15(2), 180-189

Reference Number: 481

Year: 2012

Authors: Aliaa E M K El-Mosallamy, Amany A Sleem, Omar M E Abdel-Salam, Nermeen Shaffie, Sanaa A Kenawy

Link: Link to original paper

Health: Blood pressure | Cardiometabolic diseases | Heart Disease

Nutrition: Fibre

Summary

Pumpkin seed oil is a natural product commonly used in folk medicine for treatment of prostatic hypertrophy. In the present study, the effects of treatment with pumpkin seed oil on hypertension induced by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(?)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) (50 mg /kg/day) in rats were studied and compared with those of the calcium channel blocker amlodipine. Pumpkin seed oil (40 or 100 mg/kg), amlodipine (0.9 mg/kg), or vehicle (control) was given once daily orally for 6 weeks. Arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, levels of serum nitric oxide (NO) (the concentrations of nitrite/nitrate), plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), blood glutathione, and erythrocytic superoxide dismutase activity were measured. Histopathological examination of heart and aorta was conducted as well. L-NAME administration resulted in a significant increase in BP starting from the second week. Pumpkin seed oil or amlodipine treatment significantly reduced the elevation in BP by L-NAME and normalized the L-NAME-induced ECG changes-namely, prolongation of the RR interval, increased P wave duration, and ST elevation. Both treatments significantly decreased the elevated levels of MDA and reversed the decreased levels of NO metabolites to near normal values compared with the L-NAME-treated group. Amlodipine also significantly increased blood glutathione content compared with normal (but not L-NAME-treated) rats. Pumpkin seed oil as well as amlodipine treatment protected against pathological alterations in heart and aorta induced by L-NAME. In conclusion, this study has shown that pumpkin seed oil exhibits an antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects through a mechanism that may involve generation of NO.

Significance of this study to the baker:

This is an animal study where they find that the oil in pumpkin seeds has anti-hypertensive (high blood pressure) and protects the heart through its generation of nitric oxide (NO). NO has the ability to relax blood vessels and improve circulation. We appreciate this is not an human study, however the findings of the mechanism is certainly interesting! Pumpkin seeds are also naturally high in healthy fats and fibre, which is why we use pumpkin seeds within a number of our recipes such as the Seeded Burrato Sourdough.

Qualify in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine

All reasonable care is taken when writing about health aspects of bread, but the information it contains is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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