Open Access

Berlise Yengwa Bakam, Romeo Urich Fosso, Timothy Grein, Derek Tantoh Ndinteh, Sebastian Maxeiner, Stéphane Zingue, Roman A. Blaheta, Dieudonne Njamen

• Highlights • Out of the six edible pumpkin seeds found in Cameroonian C. sativus showed most potent anti-proliferative effects on prostate cells. • Its oil conserved almost all the effects of raw seeds and prevented benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). • It exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activities in rat with BPH. Abstract Pumpkin seeds are claimed to treat prostate tumour/cancer. The in vitro (ability to inhibit cell growth through MTT assay) and in vivo (ability to prevent testosterone-induced BPH in rats at the doses of 125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg BW) of six edible pumpkin seeds found in Cameroonian were assessed. The endpoints were cell growth arrest, prostate mass and volume, prostatic epithelium height, prostatic proteins, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and inflammatory cytokines. In vitro, C. sativus seeds exhibited the most potent antiproliferative effects on DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cells and its oil conserved almost all the effects of raw seeds. Further, it prevented the increased of prostate relative mass and volume, prostate epithelium height, PSA and testosterone dose-dependently compared to normal rats. This effect is thought to be mediated through antiandrogenic, estrogenic and anti-inflammatory activities, evidenced by a decreased in IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα level. Overall, this results justify its traditional use.