The Profile of Secondary Metabolites and Other Bioactive Compounds in Cucurbita pepo L. and Cucurbita moschata Pumpkin Cultivars

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2019-08, Vol.24 (16), p.2945
• Main Authors: Kulczyński, Bartosz, Gramza-Michałowska, Anna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Bioactive compounds; Biological activity; Caffeic acid; Calcium; Carotenoids; Carotenoids - chemistry; Carotenoids - pharmacology; Chemical composition; Chlorogenic acid; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cluster Analysis; Composition effects; Cucurbita - chemistry; Cucurbita - metabolism; Cucurbita moschata Duchesne ex Poir; Cucurbita pepo; Cucurbita pepo L; Cultivars; Dietary minerals; Fatty acids; Flavonols; Food products; Gallic acid; Health promotion; Lutein; Metabolites; Metabolome; Metabolomics - methods; Minerals; Minerals - analysis; Nutrients; Nutrition research; Nutritive Value; p-Hydroxybenzoic acid; Phenolic acids; Phenols; Phytochemicals - chemistry; Phytochemicals - metabolism; Phytochemicals - pharmacology; phytonutrients; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Polyphenols; Polyphenols - chemistry; Polyphenols - pharmacology; Potassium; Processing industry; Protocatechuic acid; pumpkin; Pumpkins; Rutin; Secondary Metabolism; Secondary metabolites; Seeds; Sterols; Tocopherol; Vanillic acid; Vitamin A; Vitamins
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules24162945

Plants and animals are sources of various bioactive compounds that exhibit a broad spectrum of health-promoting effects. Scientists continue studies on the chemical composition of many products in search of foods with high nutritional value. The pumpkin ( sp.) is unquestionably a source of valuable nutrients. This vegetable is well-known all over the world and it is appreciated due to its high content of carotenoids, but it is still not much used in the processing industry. The aim of present study was to compare the flesh of 15 pumpkin varieties belonging to the and species in terms of the bioactive compound content (carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonols, minerals and vitamins) and to demonstrate whether the variety has an effect on the chemical composition. To date, no such extensive research has been carried out in this area. The research revealed that the pumpkin pulp had high content of carotenoids. In nearly all cases lutein was the most abundant carotenoid. Numerous phenolic acids and flavonols were also identified. All the cultivars contained gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin. The pumpkin pulp also contained alpha- and gamma-tocopherol. No beta- or delta-tocopherol was found. Potassium, calcium, and sodium were the most abundant minerals. The research also proved that the profile of bioactive compounds in the pumpkin pulp was considerably diversified and depended on the species and cultivar.