Antioxidant activity of six varieties of Cucurbita moschata Duch. (pumpkin) cultivated in vitro

Objective:To research antioxidant activity of 6 varieties of Cucurbita moschata Duch. (Jingou, Tianmian, Riben, Chaotianmiben, Miben and Liaoningxinminjingou) in vitro.Methods:1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline) -6-sulphonic aciddiamonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay were used to evaluated different varieties of C.moschata with BHT as positive control.Results and Conclusion:Antioxidant activity of C.moschata was not good.The DPPH radical scavenging (I%=38.99%) , ABTS radical scavenging (IC50=20.90μg/mL) , and ferric reducing antioxidant power (TEAC= (459.40± 10.44) μmol/g) of ethyl acetate extract of chaotianmiben C.moschata were higher than others.But it was still inferior to positive control BHT (I%=93.93%, IC50=7.72μg/mL, TEAC= (1581.68±97.41) μmol/g) .