JASFT-Abstract

Evaluation of Antioxidant potential and comparative analysis of Antimicrobial activity of Various Extracts of Cucurbita pepo L. Leaves

Parsa Dar, Muhammad Farman, Amara Dar, Zaman Khan, Rebecca Munir, Amina Rasheed and Usama Waqas

 

Full Length Research Paper  I Published November,2017

 

Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology  Vol. 3 (6), pp.103-109

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

“Thy food is thy medicine” this statement led us to explore the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of Cucurbita pepo L. The plant belongs to family Cucurbitaceae. Cucurbits have a lot of folkloric medicinal uses. In this study, in vitro spectroscopic protocols were executed for the determination of total phenolic content, the concentration of flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity as well as free radical scavenging potential of leaves extract of Cucurbita pepo L. (CPL) in solvents i.e., n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, ethanol, and water. Ethyl acetate extract of CPL. exhibited the highest flavonoid concentration, whereas n-Butanolic extract was found to contain highest total phenolic content and both extracts also displayed a strong antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of extracts was expressed as percentage of DPPH radical inhibition and IC50 values (μg/ml). A significant linear correlation was observed between the values for the total phenolic content, flavonoid concentration, phosphomolybdate assay and percentage antioxidant activity of all the extracts. The higher concentration of phenolic compounds was inferred to be a major contributor of antioxidant activity. Antimicrobial potential of various extracts of CPL leaves were explored. Aqueous, n-Butanolic and ethyl acetate extracts were found active against Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, Cucurbita pepo L. CPL leaves can be considered as an auspicious candidate for natural plant source of especially antioxidants and antimicrobial agents.


Key Words:
Cucurbita pepo L., Total phenolic content, Flavonoids, Total flavonoid content, DPPH, antimicrobial agent.
 

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