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Antioxidant and Carbohydrate-Hydrolysing Enzymes Potential of Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz (Cucurbitaceae) Peel, Leaves and Pulp Fresh and Processed

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Abstract

Sechum edule peel, leaves and pulp were investigated for their chemical composition (total phenol, flavonoid, carotenoid and vitamin C content), and for antioxidant activity and carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) inhibition. In order to evaluate the incidence of cooking process on retention of healthy phytochemicals, the pulp was subjected to different treatments (grill roasting, domestic oven baking, microwave cooking, blanching and steaming). Cooking processes reduced the total phenol content (58.5 mg/g extract for fresh pulp vs 26.3 and 29.3 mg/g extract for roasted and steamed samples, respectively). Pulp was found to be the most active in 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) (IC50 of 0.1 mg/mL), whereas peel showed the highest activity in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test (IC50 of 0.4 mg/mL). Moreover, peel exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against α-amylase with an IC50 of 0.2 mg/mL, except for steamed cooking process, which drastically influenced the bioactivity against both enzymes.

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Abbreviations

ABTS:

2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)

DIAN:

o-Dianisidine

DPPH:

2,2-Diphenyl-1Picrylhydrazyl

FRAP:

Ferric reducing ability power

IC50 :

Half maximal inhibitory concentration

SD:

Standard deviation

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Anna Franca Plastina, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036 Rende (CS), Italy for the proof-read version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, Health Sciences and Nutrition, University of Calabria, (CS), 87036, Rende, Italy

    Monica Rosa Loizzo, Marco Bonesi, Francesco Menichini, Maria Concetta Tenuta, Mariarosaria Leporini & Rosa Tundis

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  1. Monica Rosa Loizzo
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  2. Marco Bonesi
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  3. Francesco Menichini
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  5. Mariarosaria Leporini
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Correspondence to Monica Rosa Loizzo.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Loizzo, M.R., Bonesi, M., Menichini, F. et al. Antioxidant and Carbohydrate-Hydrolysing Enzymes Potential of Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz (Cucurbitaceae) Peel, Leaves and Pulp Fresh and Processed. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 71, 381–387 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-016-0571-4

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