Evidence supporting the use of: Cucurbita
For the health condition: Prostatitis

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Cucurbita species, particularly Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin), have a long history of traditional use for urinary and prostate health, including supporting men with prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The seeds and their oil have been used in folk medicine in Europe, North America, and Asia for centuries to alleviate symptoms such as urinary discomfort and frequent urination, which are also seen in prostatitis. The presumed mechanism relates to the presence of phytosterols and other compounds that may have mild anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. However, while there is moderate scientific evidence supporting pumpkin seed extract for BPH, the evidence specifically for prostatitis is limited and mainly anecdotal or based on traditional usage. Few clinical studies have examined Cucurbita extracts directly in prostatitis patients, and those that exist tend to be small, not always well-controlled, and often focus on symptom relief rather than objective measures. Systematic reviews and authoritative herbal medicine references typically note the traditional use but emphasize the lack of robust scientific validation for prostatitis specifically. As such, the use of Cucurbita for prostatitis is justified primarily by tradition, with some overlap in rationale from BPH studies, but it is not strongly supported by high-quality clinical evidence.

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