Cyclanthera Pedata

''Cyclanthera pedata'', known as ''caigua'', is a herbaceous vine grown for its edible fruit, which is predominantly used as a vegetable. It is known from cultivation only, and its use goes back many centuries as evidenced by ancient phytomorphic ceramics from Peru depicting the fruits.

Origin and distribution

Not known in the wild, but presumably native to the Andes where it has been traditionally cultivated.

Description

''Cyclanthera pedata'' is a vine that can be 12 m long; the stems are thin; and the leaves can be up to 24 cm long, palmate or pedate in shape. The small flowers can be greenish or white and are borne in racemes. The fruit is light green, ovoid, curved, up to 15 cm long, almost hollow (except for the seeds and a thin flesh layer), with smooth skin or sometimes covered in soft spines; the seeds are black.

Cultivation

''Cyclanthera pedata'' is grown at small scale farming in mountain areas of Mexico, Central America and South America. It is sometimes cultivated in Asia. This species can be grown in mountain areas up to 2000, being adapted to cool temperatures.''''

Vernacular names

Known in the Andes as ''caigua'' or ''caihua'' (possibly from Quechua ''kaywa''); see: ''achoqcha'' also as ''achocha'' (possibly from Quechua ''achuqcha''). In English it is named ''stuffing cucumber'' or ''slipper gourd.'' In Costa Rica it is called ''Jaiva''. In Darjeeling, India, it is called ''Chuchay Karela''. In Chinese, it is known as 小雀瓜.

Uses

Food

The fruits are eaten after removing the seeds and stuffing them with other foods like rice or meat, and then cooking them. Young shoots and leaves can also be eaten as greens. The fruits are a source of potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.Oliveira, A. C., dos Santos, V. S., dos Santos, D. C., Carvalho, R. D. S., Souza, A. S., & Ferreira, S. L. C. (2014). Determination of the mineral composition of Caigua (Cyclanthera pedata) and evaluation using multivariate analysis. Food Chemistry, 152, 619–623. Fruit flavor is similar to cucumber crossed with green bean or otherwise tasteless.

Chemistry

The fruits contain flavonoid glycosidesCarbone, V., Montoro, P., De Tommasi, N., & Pizza, C. (2004). Analysis of flavonoids from Cyclanthera pedata fruits by liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 34(2), 295–304. of which four show an antioxidant effect.

Caigua fruits generally exhibit high antioxidant activity but a low total phenolic content, which indicates that non-phenolic water-soluble compounds might be involved.Ranilla, L. G., Kwon, Y. I., Apostolidis, E., & Shetty, K. (2010). Phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and in vitro inhibitory potential against key enzymes relevant for hyperglycemia and hypertension of commonly used medicinal plants, herbs and spices in Latin America. Bioresource Technology, 101(12), 4676–4689. Flavonoids are present in this cyclanthera species, which have antioxidant properties as well and were shown that with a high intake are correlated to a decrease in heart disease.

Dried samples of caigua showed α-amylase inhibition and relevant ACE inhibitory activities.

A negative aspect of caigua is, that the seeds contain a group of trypsin inhibitors, which negatively affect protein absorption.Kowalska, J., et al. “Isolation and primary structures of seven serine proteinase inhibitors from Cyclanthera pedata seeds.” Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 2006; 1760(7): 1054-63.

Other chemicals in the Caigua include triterpenoid saponins and the seeds have been reported with six cucurbitacin glycosides. as well as 28-30 amino acids.

Archaeology

The Moche culture often depicted this species in their ceramics. Remains of this species have also been found buried in archaeological sites on the Peruvian coast.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q311101

pedata
Fruit vegetables
Crops originating from Peru
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus