In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Nitric Oxide Scavenging Activity of Citrullus Lanatus Seeds
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Citrullus lanatus (water melon) is a commonly consumed fruit worldwide .The seeds are often thrown away without considering its potential nutritional and medicinal benefits.In this study, a methanol extract of citrullus lanatus seeds was analyzed for the presence of bioactive secondary metabolites and to determine its ability to scavenge 2, 2-diphenyl -1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH .) radical, superoxide anion radical (O 2 .-), and nitric oxide radical (NO .).Quantitative phytochemical analysis was done spectrophotometrically using standard methods.The result showed that the total phenol concentration was 0.96 ± 0.12 mg RE and flavonoid was 9.96 ± 0.86 mg GAE.The extract showed a potent DPPH radical scavenging activity by changing the extract spots from purple to yellow on the thin layer chromatographic (TLC) plate.At the concentration of 1000 µg/ml the extract had its maximum inhibition of 93.85 ± 4.73 % compared to that of ascorbate (95.70 ± 1.71 %).The extract also had a good O 2 -anion radical scavenging ability with IC 50 = 44.65 ± 3.21 µg/mL compared to rutin (IC 50 = 12.01 ± 2.59 µg/mL).In the 5 mM sodium nitroprusside (SNP) only medium the levels of nitrite and hence nitric oxide (NO .) was significantly higher (p<0.05) at every time interval compared to the observed levels in the presence of the citrullus lanatus seed extract.This therefore suggests that the citrullus lanatus seed could be a good source of antioxidants to ameliorate conditions in diseases whose pathogenesis implicates oxidative stress.
Authors: Oboso Etim, S.E. Ekanem, Susana Sam
Language: English
Subfield: Biochemistry (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1583504060