Recent food poisonings from cucurbitacin in traditionally bred squash

From 1981 to 1982 there were reports of several human poisoning episodes from eating varieties of squash derived by traditional plant breeding practices. We feel that it is particularly important to bring this knowledge to the attention of the readership at this time when whole foods being developed are best defined in terms of their counterpart traditional foods. A study on the toxicity of bitter-tasting vegetables that included marrow, gem squash, golden custard squash and watermelon was reported by Steyn (1950). Le-Men el al. (1969), studying the toxicity and laxative activity of 17 cucurbitacins, found marked laxative effects and an LD sub(10) for mice at an oral dose of 5 mg cucurbitacin E/kg body weight. In 1978 Tessier and Paris presented a review of cucurbitacin distribution in plants, the structure of these compounds and their pharmacological activities.