Bioactive Properties of Sechium edule Extracts
Summary
Sechium edule, commonly known as chayote, is a climbing Cucurbitaceae plant whose fruits, leaves and roots have long been valued in traditional medicine. Modern analyses reveal that its extracts are rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, cucurbitacins, triterpenoids and carotenoids, all of which contribute to a broad spectrum of biological activities. Antioxidant action is achieved through free-radical scavenging and upregulation of endogenous defence pathways, while anti-inflammatory effects stem from modulation of cytokine production and inhibition of nuclear factor-κB. Hypoglycaemic and antihypertensive properties have been observed in experimental models of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, alongside demonstrated cardioprotective and hepatoprotective benefits. Additionally, antiproliferative and antigenotoxic effects suggest potential application in cancer chemoprevention. Together, these findings underscore the global significance of Sechium edule extracts as functional ingredients in nutraceuticals and complementary therapies.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Bioactive Properties of Sechium edule Extracts publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactive properties of sechium edule extracts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Oxidative stress: A state in which excess reactive oxygen species overwhelm cellular antioxidant defences, leading to molecular damage.
Phenolic compounds: Plant-derived secondary metabolites containing one or more hydroxylated aromatic rings, responsible for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.
Flavonoids: A subclass of phenolics characterised by a 15-carbon skeleton, noted for free-radical scavenging and modulation of signalling pathways.
Antigenotoxic: Pertaining to the capacity of a substance to prevent or reduce DNA damage induced by genotoxic agents.
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death mediated by caspases and regulatory proteins such as BAX and PARP, essential for tissue homeostasis.
References
- Exploring the Protective Mechanisms of Chayote (Sechium edule) Juice in Mitigating Streptozotocin‐Induced Pancreatic Dysfunction. eFood (2024).
- Evaluation of the Antigenotoxic Potential of Two Types of Chayote (Sechium edule) Juices. Plants (2024).
- Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effect of the Consumption of Powdered Concentrate of Sechium edule var. nigrum spinosum in Mexican Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome. Antioxidants (2022).
- Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz, a New Cultivar with Antiproliferative Potential in a Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cell Line. Nutrients (2017).
- Extracts and Fractions from Edible Roots of Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. with Antihypertensive Activity. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2014).
- Cardioprotective activity of fruits of Sechium edule. Bangladesh Journal of Pharmacology (2015).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.