POLYPHENOL CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDATIVE ACTI VITY OF VARIOUS FLOWER PETALS

The content of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and flavonols in petal extra cts were determined spectrophotometrically in 95 kinds of flower petal s, and the antioxidative activities of the petal extracts were examine d by the decoloration of beta-carotene coupled with the oxidation of l inoleic acid. The polyphenol content for each family of flower showed some differences in mean levels, i.e., 8.74% in Theaceae (camellia), 4 .78% in Rosaeae (rose), and 1.66% in Compositae (chrysanthemum), which were calculated as gallic acid in 100 g dry matter of petal, The high est content was found to be 14.83% in red Rosa hybrida (Rosaceae). Alm ost all of the petal extracts showed antioxidative activity, and good correlation between the activity and the level of polyphenol content w as observed, suggesting the direct contribution of polyphenols in the antioxidative activity. The highest observed in the red Rosa hybrida w as as high as 10 times that of BHA. Further examination of correlation of the kind of polyphenol component and genus of family of flower ind icated that the activity of the petals of rod Rosa hybrida (rose genus ) correlated with their anthocyanin content and activity of Compositae (chrysanthemum family) with the flavonol content.