Abstract

Receptacles of 11 lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn) cultivars [ShiLiHe 1 (L-1), Taikong 1 (L-2), GanLisn 62 (L-3), DaHongLian (L-4), Taikong 3 (L-5), JianXuan 17 (L-6), CunSanLian (L-7), JianLian (L-8), Taikong 36 (L-9), Zajiaolian 8236 (L-10) and Jianjibaihualian (L-11)] were analyzed for the contents of total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin, and tested for antioxidant activity by some different assays. Extracts from L-8, L-9, L-10 and L-11 showed higher total phenolic, flavonoid, proanthocyanidin contents and antioxidant activities, which were measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), diammonium salt  (ABTS), superoxide anion radical scavenging activities and total antioxidant activity assays, than the other cultivars. Moreover, the total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents correlates well with the antioxidant activities as measured by the DPPH, ABTS, superoxide anion scavenging activity, reducing power, and total antioxidant assays, but does not correlate with metal chelating activity and β-carotene bleaching activity.

Key words: Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), phenolic, flavonoid, proanthocyanidin, antioxidant activity.