US EPA

2026083 

Journal Article 

Antioxidant activity and total flavonoids, saponins and steroids contents in edible flowers 

Miao, M; Yang, L; Rong, Y; Zuo, P; Jia, G; Li, L; Zhang, P; Wang, S; Sun, G 

2009 

230-234 

WOS:000274286500055 

Edible flowers are widely consumed by Chinese as functional foods and in folk medicine for their medicinal properties. In this paper, we investigated the antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, total saponins and total steroids contents of 12 edible flowers in the market. The antioxidant activities of the different edible flowers water extractives were evaluated in vitro using T-AOC (total antioxidant capacity), HRSC (hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity) and SARSC (superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity); Total flavonoids were extracted by ethanol and determined through the method of NaNO2-Al (NO3)(3)-NaOH colorimetry; Total saponins were extracted by ultrasonic wave and determined through the method of vanillin- glacial acetic acid-sulfuric acid spectrophotometry; Total steroids were extracted by petroleum benzine and determined through the method of liebermann-burchard colorimetry. The water extractives of 12 edible flowers showed different in the antioxidant activity. Total flavonoids, total saponins and total steroids contents in 12 edible flowers were various. Moreover, the highest total antioxidant capacity, total flavonoids, total saponins and total steroids contents were observed in Honeysuckble (2205.21 U/g), Cloves (13.06mg/100mg), cape jasmine flower (4.19mg/100mg) and Wild Chrysanthemum Flower (1.02mg/100mg) respectively. 

antioxidant activity; total flavonoids; total saponins; total steroids; edible flowers