NUTRITIONAL, PHYSICO-CHEMICAL, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT SCREENING OF SEED AND SEED OIL OF CUCURBITA PEPO GROWN IN KPK, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present study focused on the nutritional composition and biological activity of Cucurbito pepo (Pumpkin seed) seed and seed oil. Data indicated the contents of seeds protein, ash, fiber, carbohydrates, and percent oil fell well within the ranges specified for edible seeds. The seeds were found to be rich source of Calcium (12.36 ± 0.08 mg/100g)), iron (3.89 ± 2.8 mg/100g)), and zinc (11.39 ± 0.9 mg/100g) indicating its utility as a dietary mineral source. Seed oil was found to be rich in unsaturated fatty acids (67.33%) and was found to be a good source of lenoleic acid (43.65%) , followed by palmitic acid (14.94%), Oleic acid (19.95%) and lenolenic acid (5.22%), respectively. The higher Iodine value, saponification value, the low peroxide value and acid value and other physic-chemical parameters were indicators of the vast utility of the oil. The antimicrobial effects of pumpkin seed oil showed 51.04%, 69.61%, 79% and 85.93% activity against paecilomyces, pythillum, Rhizopus stolorifer and Trichoderma harzianum, respectively. The oil also showed good antibacterial properties (8.6 – 0.16mm) against bacterial strains and a good antioxidant DPPH radical scavenging activity in different oil: n-hexane and oil: Methanol concentration ratios. The study showed that pumpkin seed has a good nutritional, pharmaceutical, and industrial utility.