IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF CUCUMIS SATIVUS L. PEEL EXTRACTS

Abstract

The present study evaluated the phytochemicals, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential; and thin layer chromatographic studies of Cucumis sativus L. peel extracts. The total flavonoid content was assessed using Aluminium Chloride reagent method. The antioxidant potential was evaluated using in vitro assays viz DPPH radical scavenging assay, FRAP and Phosphomolybdenum assay. The antimicrobial activity was determined against Shigella flexneri, E coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia using Agar Well Diffusion method. Qualitative phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, diterpenes, steroids and flavonoids. Total Flavonoid content in the Cucumis sativus L. peel was 3.50 µg/mg QE. Cucumis sativus L. peel showed highest radical scavenging activity of 71% at the concentration of 600 µg/mL. In determination of antioxidant activity via FRAP and Phosphomolybdenum assay cucumber peel extract showed highest absorbance of 0.80 and 0.94 respectively at the concentration of 300 µg/mL. The peel extracts inhibited the growth of all the tested pathogens by forming inhibition zones ranging from 11-21 mm. Thin layer chromatographic studies of the cucumber peel extracts constituted different coloured phytochemical compounds with different Rf values. This study highlights the pharmacological properties of Cucumis sativus L. peel.