EVALUATION OF EDIBLE FLOWERS FROM NORTHERN INDIA AS A RICH SOURCE OF PHYTOCHEMICALS WITH ANTIOXIDANT AND PHENOLIC PROPERTIES

Abstract

Herbal plants have been used in the traditional system of medicine, aiming to maintain health and to cure diseases.We investigated the phenolic compounds andantioxidantcapacities of free and boundphenolics from 13available edible flowers which have long been consumed as vegetable and used as ingredients in cooking.In this study, an attempt wasmade to estimate the phenolic level, carbohydrate level, protein level, ascorbic level, FRAP, modified FRAP, flavonoid test, antioxidant level, tannins test.Herbal flowers were chosen (e.g.Chrysanthemum indicum, Vachellianilotica, Butea monosperma, Salvia splendens, Rosa indica, Hibiscus rosasinensis, Dianthus pavonius, Calendula officinalis, Tropaeolummajus, Celosia argentea, Lantana camara,Viola tricolor).The highest ascorbic acid content(164.44 ± 5.09mg/ml, phenolic levels (760.66 ± 5.03mg TAE/g)and antioxidant levels (39.03±0.50mg AAE/g) was found in Rosa indicawhereas highest flavonoid content was found in Viola tricolor(0.56 ± 0.02mg AAE/g.The antioxidant levels, total phenolic and total flavonoid content (correlation coefficient R2= 0.5851 for phenolic, R2= 0.456for flavonoid, R2= 0.6639for ascorbic acid) were correlated which showed significant correlation indicating that the phenolics and ascorbic acid are major components responsible for antioxidant activity of flowers.