Evaluation of Phytochemical Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Unripe and Ripe Coccinia grandis Fruits Extracts
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Abstract
Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt is a ubiquitous tropical fruit used as food and has attracted attention as a potential natural source of antioxidants. The effects of solvent type and extraction method on C. grandis fruit at different ripening stages were investigated in this study. Aqueous extracts were produced by decoction, while ethanolic extracts were prepared through maceration from both unripe and ripe fruits. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total β-carotene content were determined. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The results showed that the total phenolics and flavonoids in unripe fruits were highest in the ethanolic extract, while the ethanolic extract of ripe fruits exhibited significantly higher β-carotene content (p < 0.05). Importantly, the ethanolic extract from unripe fruits demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activity, as indicated by the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the extract in the DPPH assay (180.90 ± 20.25 µg/mL), along with the highest ABTS and FRAP values (55.94 ± 2.04 mg TE/g extract, 105.34 ± 4.39 mmol FeSO4/100 g extract) among all samples. In comparison, decoction extracts showed relatively poor antioxidant activities, possibly due to heat-induced degradation of phenolic and flavonoid compounds during extraction. These results highlight the potential of ethanolic extracts from unripe C. grandis fruits as functional food or dietary supplement materials.
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