Chemical profiles of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seed extracts, immune modulation, and radical scavenging activities

Authors: YAO, YUANHANG - University Of Maryland; WU, HUAN - University Of Maryland; WANG, IAN - University Of Maryland; LI, LEI - University Of Maryland; Sun, Jianghao; Weng, Yiqun; Wu, Xianli; XIAO, ZHENGGUO - University Of Maryland; YU, LIANGLI - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2026
Publication Date: 4/6/2026
Citation: Yao, Y., Wu, H., Wang, I., Li, L., Sun, J., Weng, Y., Wu, X., Xiao, Z., Yu, L. 2026. Chemical profiles of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seed extracts, immune modulation, and radical scavenging activities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 4(6):1112-1122. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.5c01297.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.5c01297

Interpretive Summary: Cucumber seeds contain bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. In this study, we examined seed extracts prepared using 50% acetone and 80% ethanol. Using a validated analytical method, we tentatively identified 85 compounds in cucumber seeds for the first time. The extracts differ in their free radical scavenging activities. The acetone extract exhibited significantly higher total phenolics and stronger DPPH scavenging activity, while the ethanol extract showed significantly higher ABTS scavenging capacity. Both extracts showed potential for immune modulation. These findings suggest cucumber seeds are a promising natural source of functional food or dietary supplement ingredients that may help reduce oxidative stress and support immunity.

Technical Abstract: Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seeds emerge as promising sources of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and immune-modulatory effects of defatted cucumber seed extracts obtained using 50% acetone (798A) and 80% ethanol (798E) as extraction solvents. A total of 85 compounds were tentatively identified in cucumber seeds for the first time via UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. The 798A extract contained significantly higher total phenolics and exhibited greater DPPH• scavenging activity, while 798E showed significantly higher scavenging capacity against ABTS•+, suggesting a solvent-specific extraction efficiency. Both extracts significantly inhibited the expansion of activated CD8' T cells, with insignificant effects on activation marker CD25, indicating their potential for immune modulation. These findings highlight the potential of cucumber seeds as functional food ingredients or nutraceutical components for mitigating oxidative stress and modulate immune function.