Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Ethanolic Extracts from Different Parts of Gac Fruit

Abstract

The antioxidant and antibacterial properties of ethanolic extracts from gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) fruit peel, pulp, aril and seed were investigated in this study. The antioxidant activities of each ethanolic extract were determined as the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-
picrylhdrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability, which pulp extract showed the highest ability. The peel extract showed the highest ability to chelate ferrous ion and the highest reducing power. The peel extract also had the highest value for total phenolic contents, assessed by the Folin Ciocalteu method. Therefore the phenolic compounds in peel extract might contribute to inhibition of oxidation by chelating the prooxidant ions as well as by reducing the reaction. Antibacterial activities were evaluated against five pathogens by the agar disc diffusion method. It was found that the peel extract was the most active against the tested bacteria, especially Staphylococcus aureus. In summary, different parts of gac fruit appear to inhibit oxidation reactions and exhibit antibacterial activity.