Antioxidant potential of phytochemicals in pumpkin varieties belonging to Cucurbita moschata and Cucurbita pepo species

Pumpkin is a genus of plants belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family comprising several species, the most common of which are Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata. Pumpkins are characterized by a high content of carotenoids, polyphenolic compounds, mineral components, and vitamin C. The level of bioactive compounds is affected by the pumpkin cultivar, which determines its antioxidant properties. In this study, the antioxidant potential of 19 pumpkin cultivars of Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita moschata species was determined and compared using ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, chelating activity and ORAC assay. Results of the study confirmed the high diversity of pumpkin cultivars in terms of their antioxidant activity. It was also shown that the antioxidant activity is more affected by the type of cultivar than by the pumpkin species. The obtained results indicate that cultivars such as ‘Delicata’, ‘Baby Boo’, ‘Cream of the Crop’ were characterized by particularly high antioxidant activity.