The phyto-constituents and antioxidant activity of the fruit pulp of
Trichosanthes Cucumerina
L. have not been reported in literature and were therefore studied.Two identified morphotypes of this plant (Morphotype I [V1] having long fruit withdeep green background and white stripes; and Morphotype II [V2] having light greencoloured long fruit) were used for the studies. The dry matter contents of the pulp ofthe V1 and V2 were 10.9 and 9.6 g/100g fresh weight (FW), while the ascorbic acidcontents were 25.7 and 24.8 mg/100g fresh weight (FW), and lycopene contentswere18.0 and 16.1 mg/100g FW, respectively. The total phenolics, total flavonoidsand total ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of V2 were significantly higher(P < 0.05) than that of V1 by 46.8%, 78.0% and 26.2%, respectively. Bulk of thecarotenoids is made up of lutein in the concentration of 15.6 and 18.4 mg/100g FW,for V1 and V2, respectively. The α-carotene contents were 10.3 and 10.7 mg/100g FWwhile the β-carotene contents were 2.4 and 2.8 mg/100g FW for V1 andV2,respectively. It is concluded from the results of this study that the two morphotypes of
T. cucumerina possess valuable nutraceutical properties that can qualify them asviable substitute to the Solanaceous tomato.
