Abstract:
The consumption of pumpkin seeds in oil form or roasted pumpkin seeds has been is proved to
exhibit several positive health effects. The aim of the present study was to examine the
physicochemical properties, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of pumpkin (Cucurbit
sp.) Seed and pulp oils. The oil extraction was done in Soxhlet apparatus using hexane as a
solvent. Then, physicochemical properties of the oil extracts were determined based on
determination of oil content, specific gravity, acid value, percent free fatty acid and peroxide
values. The antioxidant activity was investigated based on ascorbic acid content, DPPH
radical scavenging activity and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities. The results of
physicochemical properties of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo.) seed and pulp oils indicated
significant differences between seed and pulp oils in terms of oil content, specific gravity, acid
value (ACV), and free fatty acid. The antioxidant activities of oil extracted from pumpkins
(Cucurbit sp.) seed and pulp evaluated based on ascorbic acid content, DPPHradical
scavenging and hydrogen peroxide they also demonstrated scavenging activities
demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant activities with respect to ascorbic acid content
(38.94±2.68), DPPHradical scavenging(32.30±1.27) and hydrogen peroxidescavenging
(11.85±0.64. for pumpkin seed oil than for pulp oil. The antimicrobial activity based on the
diameter of zone inhibition fruit pulp oils had thestrongest antibacterial activity with
maximum zone of inhibition (15.50mm) at highest concentration (3µl/ml) of the oil against
Staphylococcus aureus. On the other hand, the stronger antifungal activity with the maximum
zone of inhibition (15.00mm) was recorded for seed oil against Aspergillus niger. The oil
extracts from pumpkin fruit pulp has exhibited strongest anti bactericidal activity with
minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.19µl/ml) and minimum bactericidal concentration of,
0.25 µl/ml) against S. aureus. The pumpkin seed oil extract had demonstrated the strongest
antifungal activity with MIC of (0.125µl/ml, the least value) and minimum fungicidal
concentration , 0.19µl/ml) against A. niger suggesting that the seed oil had more effective
antifungal potential than the fruit pulp oil in pumpkin.
