Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extracts (Leaves and Fruit) of Cucurbita maxima Duch. ex Lam

Abstract

Background: Cucurbita maxima known as pumpkin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae, widely used in traditional medicine. Methods: The present work evaluates the antioxidant activity of the different parts (leaves and fruit) of Cucurbita maxima. Antioxidant activity was assessed through the DPPH test and the β-carotene bleaching test. Result: The results showed that the ethanolic extract of fruit and leaves are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids and tannin with values, respectively (50.13±4.49 mg EAG/g dry extract), (0.75±3.64 mg EQ/g dry extract) and (477.05±6.67 mg EAT/g dry extract) for the fruit, (27.37±0.95 mg EAG/g dry extract), (1.83±0.28 mg EQ/g dry extract) and (481.69±5.77 mg EAT/g dry extract) for leaves. The ethanolic extract showed scavenger activity IC50 is 0.41±1.20 μg/ml fruit and 0.18±0.06 μg/ml leaf compared with 0.01±0.01 μg/ml BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene). The results obtained in the β-carotene bleaching test of the ethanolic extracts of the leaves and fruit of Cucurbita maxima is of the order (70.13±13.84%) and (67.69±13.82%) respectively.