Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Studies in the Pulp Extracts of Cucurbita maxima

Plant products have been part of phytomedicines since time immemorial. The medicinal properties of Cucurbita maxima include anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects. The objective of this study was to identify the phytochemicals and antioxidants levels in the Cucurbita maxima pulp extracts. The crude ethanol and chloroform extracts of Cucurbita maxima were subjected to preliminary screening. The Phytochemical screening of the Cucurbita maxima pulp extracts revealed the presence of polyphenols, alkaloids, flavanoids, terpenoids, and glycosides. The chemical screening further showed the presence of various amino acids. The pulp homogenate of Cucurbita maxima showed the presence of reasonable levels of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants.