Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Different Parts of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

The aims of this research were to estimate the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity from different parts of cucumber. The antioxidant activity was investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total flavonoid and phenolic contents were estimated using aluminium chloride and Folin-Ciocalteau reagents assays, respectively. Our finding showed that the ethanolic peel extract contained the highest phenolic (23.08 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (14.02 mg QE/g). Also, ethanolic peel extract demonstrated significantly (p<0.05) higher FRAP value. Pearson correlation revealed that there were positive correlations (p<0.01) between TPC and TFC with FRAP assay. These findings suggest that consumption of cucumber with peel may provide optimum health benefit than its peeled counterpart.

Keywords

• antioxidant capacity
• cucumber
• total phenolic content
• total flavonoid content