Numerous cultivated varieties of calabacera exist, that produce fruits that weigh from half kilo to more than fifty.
Habitat: some varieties come from Oriente.medio, whereas others are of American origin. It requires humid and warm lands. At the moment it is cultivated anywhere in the world.
Description: it plants annual of the family of the Cucurbitáceas, with crawling or trepador stem of up to 8 meters of height. The leaves are very great and are covered with sharp pelillos. The flowers are very showy, of yellow color.
Used parts: the seeds (pipes) and the pulp of the fruit.
Properties and indications: the pumpkin seeds, also calls pipes, and specially their germ, contain until a 35% of oil; prótidos rich in essential amino acids; and cucurbitacina, active principle that presents/displays the following properties and indications:
Antiprostáticas: the most frequent affection of the prostate, the adenoma (benign tumoración), is pronounced in the men of mature age by: loss of force in the spurt of tinkles it; polaquiuria (necessity to tinkle and often single a little amount), specially at night and after trips seated; and in advanced cases, cucurbitacina complete impossibility of orinar.La contained in the pumpkin seeds acts in individual on the prostate, desinflamando it and restraining his hipertrofia (excessive growth). This must to that the cucurbitacina blocks the division of the glandular cells of the prostate (antimitótica action), with which restrains the growth of this important gland. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have present that although the pumpkin seeds can restrain the growth of the prostate and with it, to alleviate the mentioned annoyances, in no case can make disappear the excessive growth already formed.
Urinary Antiinflamatoria: the active principle of the pumpkin seeds also acts on vejiga of tinkles it, desinflamando it and relaxing it. For that reason the pumpkin pipes are indicated in case of cystitis, urinary infections, urinary incontinencia, cistocele (loosening of vejiga urinary), vejiga neurógena (irritation that is pronounced by a constant desire to tinkle).
Vermifugal: The cucurbitacina acts loosen the head of the tapeworm (solitary) of the wall of the intestine. It is also effective against other intestinal parasites, like áscaris. Once loose the worms, a laxative one is due to administer to favor its expulsion. The effective vermifugal action of the pumpkin seeds is free of risks. For that reason the pumpkin pipes are ideal for the children who suffer of intestinal parasites, in special tapeworms or áscaris (lombrices).
The pulp of the pumpkin, roasted or boiled, is very rich in glúcidos (carbon hydrates). It is an emollient (suavizante) of all the digestive conduit, and has a slight diurético and antiinflammatory effect. It agrees, then, to those who suffer:
Digestive problems, like dispepsia (difficult digestion), acidity of stomach, constipation, intestinal fermentations or rottings.
Hemorroides, by its suavizante and slightly laxative action.
Renales affections (like complementary treatment): renal insufficiency, nefritis or glomerulonefritis, edemas (retention of liquids), renales calculations.
Use: the seeds (pipes) can be taken fresh, dry or cooked, in amount of 50 to 100 grams, 2 or 3 daily times. When they are used against the intestinal parasites, it is recommended to follow the following plan: to keep 12 hours from uninformed (taking solely water), that begin afternoon previous to the treatment; to weigh 200-400 grams of pipes with rind (the adults up to 800 grams), that once bare, are crushed in a mortar, having been able to add brown sugar to the paste that forms; to distribute this paste in 3 equal portions, for the breakfast, food and has supper. Not to eat another thing in all the day, except carrot, who also is antihelmíntica; one hour after the third taking, a laxative one is administered (for example, an infusion of sen or sagrada rind, or salt of fruits, or a pair of spoonfuls of ricino oil); to observe lees since if the expulsion of the parasites has not been obtained, all the process after 2 or 3 days is repeated.