Volume 4 • Issue 2• 1000205 J Food Process Technol ISSN:2157-7110 JFPT, an open access journal Open Access Research Article Food Processing & Technology Anjum et al., J Food Process Technol 2013, 4:2 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7110.1000205 Keywords: Momordica Charantia; Oxidative stability; Antioxidant; Antimicrobial and hemolytic activities; Refux; Ultrasound Introduction Momordica charantia Linn belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and commonly known as Bitter Gourd (BG), bitter melon, karela and grows in the humid and subtropical regions of the world. It is inherent in Asia and now widely cultivated in all parts of the world due to its dietary assessment in its immature or ripened fruits. Te BG plant is modifed to a wide variation of climates however its best production is in warm areas [1]. It is a curative vegetable which has been used conventionally for diabetes treatment. It is a ground-breaking plant for its adaptability as foodstuf and therapeutic applications. Contemporary scientifc proof has proved BG an auspicious antidiabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-hepatotoxic, antioxidant, antiviral, antiulcerogenic, and larvicidal activities [2]. Although the diferent parts of plant BG have been used as food and drug but the fruit is the most important part [3]. Depending on the maturity stages, BG Seed (BGS) has been found as a rich source of oil (18.1-37.6%) and protein (28-30%). BGS oil is rich in fatty acids like Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). BGS protein is a good source of essential amino acids (Met, Cys, Ile, Phe, Tyr and Lys) and could be a good source of protein for functional ingredients in a food system. BGS also supply important minerals (P, K, Mg, S and Ca), favonoids and phenolic compounds (catechin and gallic acid) [4]. Antioxidants, especially, the phenolics have gained considerable importance due to their potential health benefts. Consumption of plant foods containing antioxidants is benefcial to health as it lowers down many degenerative processes. Antioxidant compounds can be recovered from plant materials through diferent extraction techniques taking into account their chemistry and uneven distribution in the plant matrix. Antioxidant compounds most frequently isolated by using solvent extraction technique. However, the extract yields and resulting *Corresponding author: Fozia Anjum, Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, 3800, Pakistan, Fax: + 92-41-9200764; E-mail: foziaanjum2008@yahoo.com Received November 02, 2012; Accepted December 14, 2012; Published December 25, 2012 Citation: Anjum F, Shahid M, Bukhari SA, Anwar S, Latif S (2013) Study of Quality Characteristics and Effcacy of Extraction Solvent/Technique on the Antioxidant Activity of Bitter Gourd Seed. J Food Process Technol 4: 205. doi:10.4172/2157- 7110.1000205 Copyright: © 2013 Anjum F, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Bitter Gourd Seed (BGS) oil of two varieties were evaluated for physicochemical composition, antimicrobial and hemolytic activities however BGS residue was appraised for proximate composition, mineral contents and the effcacy of extracting solvents; ethanol, 80% ethanol and water; extraction techniques; shaking, refux and ultrasound on antioxidant activity of BGS extract was evaluated. Signifcantly (P<0.05) higher oil and protein content was observed in the BGS-1 (40.8 and 19.2% respectively) as compared to BGS-2 (31.5 and 14.9% respectively). Signifcant differences (P<0.05) were observed between their physicochemical parameters and oxidative stability. BGS oils of both varities were rich in eleostearic, followed by stearic, and oleic acids. The concentration of α-tocopherol was detected signifcantly (P<0.05) higher in BGS-1 oil as against the BGS-2 oil. A higher amount of antioxidant extract yield, favonoid contents, phenolic contents, metal chelating and free radical scavenging activity were observed in the 80% ethanolic extract of both BGS under ultrasound treatment. Furthermore, BGS-1 showed remarkably higher level of antioxidants as compared to BGS-2. The seed oil of both varieties showed noteworthy antimicrobial activity against battery of selected bacteria and fungi strains, assessed by disc diffusion and measurement of minimum inhibitory by micro dilution method. Negligible hemolytic activity was recorded against human and bovine erythrocytes by BGS-1 variety. Study of Quality Characteristics and Efficacy of Extraction Solvent/ Technique on the Antioxidant Activity of Bitter Gourd Seed Fozia Anjum 1 *, Muhammad Shahid 2 , Shazia Anwer Bukhari 1 , Shakeel Anwar 3 and Sajid Latif 4 1 Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, 3800, Pakistan 2 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan 3 Department Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan 4 Institute for Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics (480B), University of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany antioxidant activities of the plant materials are strongly dependent on the nature of extracting solvent, due to the presence of diferent antioxidant compounds of varied chemical characteristics and polarities that may or may not be soluble in a particular solvent. Polar solvents are frequently employed for the recovery of polyphenols from a plant matrix. Te most suitable of these solvents are (hot or cold) aqueous mixtures containing ethanol, methanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate [1]. Terefore huge efort has been made to develop efective selective extraction techniques. Te present study therefore has been conducted with the main objective of investigating the physicochemical composition, antimicrobial and haemolytic activity of BGS oil and to investigate the most efective solvent/technique for extracting potent antioxidant compounds from BGS. Proximate and nutritional compositions of BGS have been reported by few scientist but there is an information gap regarding chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and hemolytic activities of BG cultivated in Pakistan. Tis information can add value to the agricultural potential of BG, and can also introduce high-value components in the market towards a nutraceutical potential.