Oil pumpkins – Important source of antioxidants

The objective of the two years study was to investigate the content of the antioxidants in oil pumpkin fruits and seeds of different cultivars (Golosemiannaja, Herakles and Miranda). Samples of pumpkin seeds were extracted and analyzed for vitamin E (high-performance liquid chromatography assay), vitamin C (titration method of 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol), β-carotene and lutein (Shimadzu HPLC 10A system analysis), zinc and selenium (by mass spectrometry). Specimens of pumpkin flesh were analysed for total carotenoids (UV-VIS spectrophotometer assay) and vitamin C. The seeds of ‘Miranda’ accumulated the highest amount of vitamin E (402.93 μg g-1 d.m.). The content of vitamin C in oil pumpkin flesh ranged from 3.06 to 3.87 mg g-1 fresh mass, in seeds 7.04–8.43 mg g-1 fresh mass. Total carotenoid quantity in flesh of all pumpkin cultivars was significantly different and ranged from 0.01 to 1.74 mg g-1 fresh mass. The content of lutein in oil pumpkin seeds varied from 25.26 to 162.70 μg g-1 d.m. as well the content of β-carotene from 4.16 to 5.15 μg g-1 d.m. The highest amount of zinc was found in ‘Golosemiannaja’ (65.45 mg kg-1 d.m.), and the highest amount of selenium in ‘Miranda’ (0.09 mg kg-1 d.m.) seeds. Summarising our results, we could to maintain that ‘Golosemiannaja’ seeds are especially rich in antioxidants lutein and zinc. The flesh and seeds of ‘Miranda’ are valuable due to high total carotenoid content and vitamin E. The seeds of all tested oil pumpkin cultivars accumulated significantly higher amount of vitamin C compared to fleshVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij