Description

Sechium edule (Chayote) is a diploid perennial herbaceous climbing plant with 28 chromosomes (2n = 2x = 28) that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. The chayote fruit is a gourd that is consumed as a vegetable, also called vegetable pear, chuchu, pear squash, or sayote, and the tubers are also utilized as food source. Chayote contains abundant bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, and bioactive polysaccharides in the fruit, leaves, tubers, and stems, and has potential for the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and inflammation, as well as other pharmacological applications.