Antioxidant activity of melon fruit (Cucumis melo L. ‘GMP’) ethanolic extract

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) cv. Gama Melon Parfum (GMP) is a new melon cultivar made by cross breeding between female ♀NO-3 (Natsumo Omoide) dan ♂MR-5 (Miyamauri) parents has a distinctive scent at ripening stage. During the ripening stages there are chemical changes of the fruit including antioxidant properties. The aims of this research were to study the changes of antioxidant activity and antioxidant compound during ripening stages of melon cv. Gama Melon Parfum (GMP). Melon with three ripening stages (10 DAA, 20 DAA and 30 DAA) were harvested and analyzed their antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, and flavonoid. The methods were used flavonoid quantitative analysis by extraction and spectrophotometer, antioxidant activity was quantified by free- radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and ascorbic acid content was determined by iodometric method. The results showed that antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, and flavonoid increased during ripening. Content of antioxidant activity 10 DAA (27,29 %), 20 DAA (48,56 %) and 30 DAA (73,78 %), content of ascorbic acid 10 DAA (19,53 mg/100g), 20 DAA (23,33 mg/100 g) and 30 DAA (27,19 mg/100g), and flavonoid content 10 DAA (70,62 µg/g), 20 DAA (73,14 µg/g) and 30 DAA (81,87 µg/g). Antioxidant activity positively correlated with ascorbic acid and flavonoid content.