This study investigated the nutritional components and antioxidant activity of dry bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.). The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, carbohydrate, and ascorbic acid contents of dry bitter melon were 6.10%, 3.31%, 1.08%, 2.31%, 87.20%, and 908.84 mg/100 g, respectively. Potassium was the most abundant mineral, followed by Mg, P, Na, Ca, Zn, Cu, and Mn, which means dry bitter melon was an alkali material. Regarding amino acid contents, dry bitter melon was rich in arginine, urea, asparagine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and alanine. Total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents of dry bitter melon extract were 36.08 mg gallic acid equivalents/extract g and 15.66 mg tannic acid equivalents/extract g, respectively. The IC50 value for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity was 9.81 mg/mL for dry bitter melon ethanol extracts.

Keywords: dry bitter melon, ascorbic acid, mineral, amino acid, antioxidant activity