Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds protect against formaldehyde-induced major organ damages

Exposures to hazardous chemicals including formaldehyde are harmful to human health. In this study, the authors investigate the protective effects of pumpkin seed oil (PSO) extract against formaldehyde-induced major organ damages in mice. Administration of formaldehyde (FA) caused significant elevation of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum creatinine, etc. Histopathological examinations of liver, kidney, and brain tissues showed the degenerations of those organs. Mice pretreated with PSO extract significantly attenuated the FA-induced elevation of SGOT (39.0 ± 1.30 vs 20.5 ± 0.65 IU/L; FA-group vs PSO treatment group), SGPT (91.8 ± 1.65 vs 51.0 ± 1.29 IU/L), serum creatinine (1.05 ± 0.07 vs 0.65 ± 0.07 IU/L), and preserved the normal histology of organ tissues. The FA-induced elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain, liver, and kidneys was suppressed by pretreatment with PSO extract. The extract also attenuated the FA-induced reduction of endogenous antioxidant pools. In vitro phytochemical analyses showed that PSO extract possesses free radical scavenging and total antioxidant activities due to the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Thus, PSO extract has significant protective effects against FA-induced organ toxicities by scavenging oxidative stress and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.