Phytochemical and Pharmacological Evaluation of Cucurbita pepo and Benincasa hispida their Antioxidant activity and Gastroprotective activity

Abstract

The ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida at varied concentrations showed remarkable inhibitory effect of superoxide radical activity scavenging compared to petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extract. From this work we conclude that all the extracts were exhibiting significant scavenging activity towards 1, 1-di phenyl picryl hydrazyl, Nitric oxide, Hydroxyl, Super oxide radicals. The activity was found to be concentration dependent. In DPPH model the free radical scavenging capacity was found to be highly significant when compare other three models. In all the three selected plants Ethanol extract was found to have high scavenging activity than Ethyl acetate and petroleum ether extracts. Scavening activity of ethanol extracts may be due to presence of the flavonoids and phenolic. Acute toxicity studies were performed for extracts of selected three plants according to the toxic classic method as per guidelines 423 prescribed by OECD. Acute toxicity studies of extracts of Cucurbita pepo and Benincasa hispida fruit were performed in animals at dose levels of 50, 300 and 2000 mg/kg as per OECD guide lines. No mortality was observed in animals dosed with the extracts of Cucurbita pepo and Benincasa hispida fruits at dose levels of 50, 300 and 2000 mg/kg (p.o). The treated animals did not demonstrate any significant changes in behavioral pattern and exhibited normal activity. Also, there were no clinical signs of tremors, convulsions, exophthalmos, salivation, diarrhea and lethargy. There was no significant difference in the mean body weights between treated groups and control group and the rats exhibited normal body weight gain during the study. No lethal effects or mortality was observed in animals throughout the test period following single oral administration at all selected dose levels of all extracts. The animals were examined for long term toxicity (14 days). None of these extracts showed any mortality even at the dose of 2000mg/kg. From the results of acute toxicity studies 1/10th , 1/20th doses were selected for the experimental study. Gastro Protective Activity of extract of Cucurbita pepo fruit and Benincasa hispida fruits were performed on various ulcer induce model including aspirin + Pylorus ligation induced, acetic acid induced chronic ulcer, HCl- ethanol induced ulcer. Ethanol extracts of Cucurbita pepo fruit and Benincasa hispida fruits were found more potent in antioxidant activity so ethanol extract were selected for further gastroprotective activity. Ethanol extracts of both plant at dose of 100 200 and 300 mg/kg were tested for gastroprotective activity using above ulcer model.