International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.4, 26-32
26
Research Report Open Access
Determination of Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activities in Edible Flowers
Mast Ram Dhiman
,
Sandeep Kumar, Chander Parkash, Raj Kumar, Siddharth Moudgil, Sunita Sharma
ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Katrain, Kullu-Valley- 175129, HP, India
Corresponding email
International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol. 7, No. 4 doi
Received: 19 Nov., 2016
Accepted: 25 Jan., 2017
Published: 27 Feb., 2017
Copyright
©2017 Dhiman et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article
:
Dhiman M.R., Kumar S., Parkash C., Kumar R., Moudgil S., and Sharma S., 2017, Determination of phytochemical and antioxidant activities in edible flowers,
International Journal of Horticulture, 7(4): 26-32 (doi
Abstract
In the present study, edible flower samples belonging to 14 different genera were evaluated by employing various in vitro
antioxidant assay such as total antioxidant activity determination by CUPRAC and FRAP, total phenolic content and plant pigments viz.
Lycopene and β-carotene to investigate their antioxidant potential with specific Phytochemicals composition. The results showed that
extracts Vinca Red flower exhibited highest antioxidant capacity viz. CUPRAC 32.33 µmol trolox/g followed by Vinca Pink 30.46 while,
least was observed in Gomphrina 4.983 µmol while its counterpart FRAP was highest (2.07 µmol /g) in poppy as well as in Vinca pink
and least (0.22) in wild salvia. The total phenolic content (TPC) was found to be highest in Pusa Narangi (2282.54 µg GAE/gfw). A
negative correlation was found between phenols and three carotenes. β- Carotene was found to have negative correlation with the three
antioxidant factors (CUPRAC, FRAP and Phenols) while lycopene and total caroteniods showed a positive correlation with CUPRAC
and FRAP. The results revealed the presence of antioxidants, phenols and caroteniods in most of the flowers confirming flowers as a
potential source of these phytonutrient.
Keywords
Edible flowers; Phytochemicals; Antioxidant; Phenols; Lycopene; Carotene
1 Introduction
Flower is an important part of plant which contains a great variety of natural antioxidants, such as phenolic acids,
flavanoids, anthocyanins and many other phenolic compounds (Kaur et al., 2006). Due to their appealing and
desirable aesthetic aspects edible flowers are gaining renewed interest as rich source of bio active compounds,
globally. Proliferating awareness among consumers as resulting from global intent has contributed to the
comeback of the early lifestyles, in which edible flowers played an important role (Kopec and Balik, 2008).
Besides their anti-oxidative properties and anti-carcinogenic effect, phenolic acids and flavanoids have long been
recognized to possess anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities as well (Robard et al., 1999). A
high nutritional value, antioxidant capacity and attractive appearance pre determines edible flowers to be a new
and promising foodstuff species for a wider use in human nutrition. Flowers produce a wide array of secondary
metabolites, serving both as food stuffs and medicinal products which are of interest for several Parma and
nutraceutical industries (Bungihan and Matias, 2013).
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring and biologically active plant compounds that have potential disease
inhibiting capabilities due to their antioxidant effects. The high antioxidant capacity of these flowers is correlated
with the level of flavanoids which corresponds to the medicinal properties of these flowers (Mato et al., 2000).
Studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between the qualities of phenolic content to antioxidant
properties. Oxidative stress in human results from imbalance of antioxidant in the body caused by factors as
pollution, diet, chronic infections and so on (Agarwal et al., 2005). Antioxidants play an essential role in the
prevention of disease and have capacity to reduce oxidative stress by chelating trace elements or scavenging free
radicals and protecting antioxidant defenses (Banerjee et al., 2005). Now days, the application of plant based
anti-oxidant or natural antioxidants is replacing synthetic molecules because of toxicities associated with the latter
(Cruz et al., 2001).
