Fruits and vegetables are basic crops of mass consumption for human population to meet their food requirements. Recent advances in medicinal studies have revealed that different parts of fruits and vegetables are loaded with phytochemicals responsible for eliminating the risks of different diseases. Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) is one of the abundantly grown and consumed vegetable all around the world. Seeds of this vegetables are named as nutritional power houses due to their excellent nutrient profiles. In present study total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity, of pumpkin seeds extracts were determined. Extraction of pumpkin seeds was carried out in a Soxhlet apparatus using ethanol as extraction solvent. TAS and TOS were determined through Rel Assay Kits and free radical scavenging activity was measured through DPPH assay. TAS was found 4.18±0.36 and TOS 14.68±0.42, whereas value of OSI was measured 0.35±0.10. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was observed increasing with increasing the concentration and maximum value 56.10±0.90% was observed at 2 mg/mL concentration. From these results it was concluded that pumpkin seeds could be utilized as natural antioxidant source with potential to reduce oxidative stress and minimizing the risks of certain diseases.

An experiment was conducted to determinate the phytochemical properties (chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, carotenoids, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content) in ten medicinal plants namely Syal Kata (Argemone mexicana L.), Akanda (Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand.), Dumur (Ficus carica L.), Chalmugra (Gynocardia odorata R.Br.), Kata kachu (Lasia spinosa (L.) Thwaites), Shetodrone (Leucas aspera (Wild.)), Khona (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz), Reri (Ricinus communis L.), Ghat kachu (Typhonium trilobatum (L.) Schott) and Bazna (Zanthoxylum rhetsa DC.) for ethno-botanical uses. The young fresh leaves were harvested and were subjected to methanolic (95%) extract. Total phenolic contents were analysed by using Folin - Ciocalteau method where gallic acid was used as standard. Total phenolic content varied from 94.53 mg GAE/100 g FW (C. gigantea) to 484.88 mg GAE/100 g FW (L. aspera). Total flavonoid contents were performed by using Quercetin as standard. Total flavonoid content varied from 137.25 mg QUE /100 g FW (C. gigantea) to 334.27 mg QUE/100 g FW (G. odorata). Antioxidant activity of these extracts was performed by using DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Total anti-oxidant capacity varied from IC50 value 35.37 mg/mL (A. mexicana) to 90.47 mg/mL (F. carica) where ascorbic acid is used as standard. Results indicated that among the ten medicinal plants phenolics rich in L. aspera, flavonoids rich in G. odorata, antioxidant activity rich in A. mexicana. Z. rhetsa leaf rich in chlorophyll-a content (311.67 mg/100 g FW), L. aspera leaf rich in chlorophyll-b content (157 mg/100 g FW), Z. rhetsa rich in chlorophyll- (a+b) content as 439 mg/100 g FW, A. mexicana leaf rich in carotenoids content as 96 mg/100 g FW.