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
Cyclanthera pedata, presumably native to the Andes, was first domesticated in the mountainous regions of Peru. It then spread to Southeast Asia and Africa. In Africa, it is only cultivated in the highlands of East Africa.
Biology
C. pedata is an annual climbing plant with vines that can reach up to 4.5 meters in height. It has a thin stem and palmate leaves that are 10-12 cm wide.
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.
left|thumb|230x230px|Flowers.
When the leaves are injured, it is said to release a cucumber-like odor.
The fruit flesh is soft and spongy, not crunchy, with a thickness of only 0.5 cm, and it is said to taste like cucumbers.
Cultivation
Cyclanthera pedata is grown at small scale farming in mountain areas of Mexico, Central America and South America. the plant is sensitive to frost. It thrives in direct sunlight (at least 6-8h/day) and similarly to other Cucurbitaceae requires regular irrigation.
Pests and Diseases
The main insect pests affecting C. pedata are aphids (Aphis gossypii), fruit flies (Bactrocera cucurbitae), and the red pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora foveicollis).
Vernacular names
Known in the Andes as caigua or caihua also as achocha Young shoots and leaves can also be eaten as greens. Fruit flavor is similar to cucumber crossed with green bean or otherwise tasteless. 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. 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.
A negative aspect of caigua is, that the seeds contain a group of trypsin inhibitors, which negatively affect protein absorption.
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. It is believed to be effective against atherosclerosis, circulation problems, and is used as an analgesic. Infusions made from Caigua are commonly consumed to help control hypertension and improve cholesterol levels.
In post-menopausal women, daily oral doses of dehydrated Caigua fruit have been shown to significantly reduce serum cholesterol. Remains of this species have also been found buried in archaeological sites on the Peruvian coast.