Master plant: Cucurbita pepo L. convar. citrullinina var. styriaca
Cucurbitaceae (Pumpkin family)
Oleum Cucurbitae

Origin:

The pumpkin?s home is probably the northern Central America as far as the eastern North America. The main countries cultivating the pumpkin are the former Soviet Union, the USA, China, Egypt and Austria/Styria.
The Styrian oil-pumpkin has the highest value among all the pumpkins and possesses soft-skinned seeds, which are especially suited for oil extraction.

Characteristics and substances:

Pumpkin seeds contain - apart from fatty oil - also about 25% of protein, fruit acids, resin, lecithin and cucurbitacines.
The pumpkinseed oil is won from roasted seeds. Chlorophyll and carotene in the seeds? skin give the oil its dark colour.

Applications:

The Styrian pumpkinseed oil?s digestibility and delicious, nutty aroma makes it a valuable and fixed component of the Austrian cuisine.
In medicine the oil as well as the seeds are used for the treatment of bladder discomfort, problems with the skin, heart and circulation, muscle cramps, prostate disease, high blood pressure and increased blood lipid levels.