Utilization of over matured fruit waste of Spine gourd (Momordica dioca Roxb.) as a source of anthelmintic bioactive constituents

To study the difference in the accumulation of bioactive constituents in Spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.),
the changes in its phenolic compounds at mature green (fruit utilized) and ripe red (fruit wasted) stages were
analysed, and it was correlated with their antioxidant and anthelmintic potential. The highest total phenolic
content was observed in ripe peel ethyl acetate (RPEA), tannins in ripe seed hexane (RSH) and flavonoid in ripe
peel ethanol (RPE) extracts. UPLC–MS analysis identified 15 phenolic compounds in the extracts. The highest
antioxidant potential was shown by RSH in DPPH (IC50 1.47 mg/ml), RPEA in ABTS (IC50 2.40 mg/ml), and
mature peel water (MPeW) extract in FRAP assays (0.58 μg trolox equivalent per g dw). RPE induced the highest
anthelmintic activity against Caenorhabditis elegans in egg hatch assay (LC50 - 0.02 mg/ml), and adult worm
mortality assay (LC50 -1.44 mg/ml), as well as 100% death of infective juveniles in Heterorhabditis indica (50 mg/
ml). Correlation studies and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated the relationship of catechins, quercetin,
kaempferol, rutin, and gallic acid to anthelmintic activity. The study showed that the ripe stage of Spine
gourd, which gets disposed of as postharvest waste, had better anthelmintic activity, and it can be utilized for the
development of food formulations with anthelmintic potential.