Phenolic extracts from meadowsweet and hawthorn flowers have antioxidativeproperties

From the flowers of meadowsweet and inflorescence of hawthorn the whole set of phenolic acids and flavonoids was analysed by TLC. Phenolic compounds w ere determined both as free ones and those liberated by hydrolysis. Moreove r, ethyl ether and ethyl acetate extracts obtained from the analysed plants before and after alkaline and enzymatic hydrolyses were evaporated under r educed pressure and residues were analysed for their antioxidative properti es. The weakest antioxidative activity was observed with the remaining resi due after evaporation of ethyl ether extract obtained from enzymatically (b eta -glucosidase) hydrolysed hawthorn inflorescence water extract. The stro ngest antioxidative activity was noticed with the remaining residues after evaporation of ethyl ether extracts obtained from non-hydrolysed and hydrol ysed in alkaline conditions of meadowsweet flower water extracts. The residues from meadowsweet flowers exhibited stronger antioxidative prop erties than residues obtained from hawthorn inflorescence and can be recomm ended as margarine preservatives.