A comparative analysis of the antioxidant potential of watermelon (citrullus lanatus (thunb.)) mesocarp extract fractions evaluated by the DPPH method

¹ Pharmacy Study Program, Faculty of Health, Universitas Harapan Bangsa, Indonesia
² Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
³ Institute of Pharmacognosy, University of Szeged. Szeged, Hungary
⁴ Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
⁵ Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Purwokerto, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: hening.pratiwi@unsoed.ac.id

Abstract

Watermelon mesocarp contains bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties that hold significant scientific and industrial interest. Antioxidants from natural sources are increasingly explored for applications in food preservation, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals due to their efficacy and safety. This study aimed to identify fractions with strong antioxidant potential and explore their industrial applications. The crude extract was fractionated into water, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane fractions, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH method. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 7.68 ppm, which, while slightly less potent than ascorbic acid (IC50 = 4.09 ppm), demonstrated substantial free radical scavenging ability. This was followed by the water fraction (IC50 = 34.9 ppm), with the n-hexane fraction showing moderate activity (IC50 = 52.07 ppm). The ethyl acetate fraction of watermelon mesocarp extract demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activity, highlighting its potential for applications in food preservation and developing cosmetic formulations as a natural antioxidant source.