**4.5 Potential anti-cancer health benefit**

Cucumbers contain high levels of triterpen family of phytochemicals known as cucurbitacins. The consumption of cucumber avails us cucurbitacins A, B, C, D, and E, which may help prevent cancer by stopping cancer cells from proliferating and surviving. Cancer research studies have proved that the JAK–STAT and MAPK signaling pathways involved with cancer cell development and survival can be

**43**

*Cosmetic, Culinary and Therapeutic Uses of Cucumber (*Cucumis sativus *L.)*

cancer risk of the ovary, prostate, breast and uterus [34].

**4.6 Cardiovascular health benefits of cucumber**

low density lipoproteins among others [26].

**4.8 Other health benefits of cucumber**

**4.7 Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of cucumber**

of- MDA and 4-HNE [39].

blocked through the effects of cucurbitacins [24, 25]. While there are currently no current anti-cancer therapies that utilize cucurbitacins, experimental research has

The results of cancer studies have shown that cucumber lignans such as lariciresinol, pinoresinol and secoisolariciresinol are converted by intestinal bacteria into enterolignans. These enterolignans including enterodiol and enterolactone have been reported to bind to estrogen receptors thereby eliciting both pro-estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects [33]. Some preliminary results have shown that consumption of plant derived lignans including cucumbers can reduce estrogen-related

There are several processes through which cucumber consumption may elicit cardiovascular benefits. Cucumbers are good sources of dietary fiber, particularly in their skins. Dietary fibers are known to significantly reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol thus positively modifying the blood lipid profile with an attendant reduction in cholesterol buildup in the arteries. More so, cucumbers provide potassium and magnesium that may contribute to preventing high blood pressure [9, 35, 36]. With 73 different phenolic constituents, cucumber provides protection against oxidative insults for the blood vessels and their vulnerable contents such as

The cucurbitacins in cucumber may also help prevent atherosclerosis. There have been reports on Cucurbitacin B and E in glycosidic form to exhibit inhibitory effect on lipid oxidation products like malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) [37, 38]. These positive reports bolster the therapeutic role of cucurbitacins in artherosclerosis, which involves modification of lipoproteins by involvement

A good number of phytochemicals present in cucumber have been reported to exhibit antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory activities via sparing effect on other antioxidants and/or regulation of antioxidant enzymes in metabolic pathways involved. Small-scale human studies have been conducted using some of these identified phytochemicals in cucumber and found to provide some health benefits [29]. The cyclooxygenase 2 (COX 2), a pro-inflammatory enzyme, has been shown to be inhibited by cucumber extract [34]. In addition, antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase showed increased activities in studied participants that consumed cucumber powder. Some studies have shown that cucumber can reduce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive carbonyl species (RCS), which could be of help in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The high content of phenolic compounds (flavonoids and terpenoids) present in cucumbers may be involved in this probable health benefit by significantly lowering the levels of ROS and RCS. Its high content of fisetin flavonoid gives it the potential anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits [40]. Since cucumbers are rich in phytonutrients, there could be logical theoretical

link between their consumption and amelioration of some chronic diseases.

The peel and seeds are the nutrient dense parts of cucumber and contain beta-carotene that is good for the eyes [41]. Cucumber provides an alkaline diet,

yielded promising results awaiting confirmation in human studies [31, 32].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96051*

#### *Cosmetic, Culinary and Therapeutic Uses of Cucumber (*Cucumis sativus *L.) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96051*

blocked through the effects of cucurbitacins [24, 25]. While there are currently no current anti-cancer therapies that utilize cucurbitacins, experimental research has yielded promising results awaiting confirmation in human studies [31, 32].

The results of cancer studies have shown that cucumber lignans such as lariciresinol, pinoresinol and secoisolariciresinol are converted by intestinal bacteria into enterolignans. These enterolignans including enterodiol and enterolactone have been reported to bind to estrogen receptors thereby eliciting both pro-estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects [33]. Some preliminary results have shown that consumption of plant derived lignans including cucumbers can reduce estrogen-related cancer risk of the ovary, prostate, breast and uterus [34].
