J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Oct; 82(2-3): 185-9.

Evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of Cucurbita ficifolia BouchÃ© (Cucurbitaceae) in different experimental models.

Alarcon-Aguilar FJ, Hernandez-Galicia E, Campos-Sepulveda AE, Xolalpa-Molina S, Rivas-Vilchis JF, Vazquez-Carrillo LI, Roman-Ramos R.

DivisiÃ³n de Ciencias BiolÃ³gicas y de la Salud, Universidad AutÃ³noma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, DF, Mexico. aaasj2@prodigy.net.mx

Acute hypoglycemic effects of freeze-dried juice of Cucurbita ficifolia BouchÃ© (Cucurbitaceae) fruits were studied in healthy and alloxan-diabetic mice. C. ficifolia fruit administered by intraperitoneal route produced, in a dose-dependent manner, a significant decrease of the glycemia in healthy mice. Although oral route of C. ficifolia fruit juice also caused significant reductions of blood glucose levels in healthy mice, the effect was minor. The juice administered by intraperitoneal route showed an acute hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic mice. In addition, daily oral administration of this preparation showed a highly significant reduction of the glycemia after 14 days of treatment. Freeze- dried juice caused acute toxicity when administered intraperitoneally, and also when it was administered daily by the oral route.