Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Contents of Various Parts from Two Cultivars of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

Free radicals generated from human body metabolisms or from environments are involved in development of degenerative diseases. Natural antioxidants could play an important role in prevention and cure of chronic diseases caused by free radicals. Sacred lotus or lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is a widely used medicinal plant. Parts of lotus were used in Thai traditional medicine as cardio tonic and culinary. Different cultivars of lotuses are cultivated in Thailand. This study aimed to evaluate antioxidant activity and determine total phenolic contents from methanolic extract of leaf, stamen, outer petal, inner petal, stalk and seed pod of two cultivars of lotuses including white short flower (Sattabut) and pink short flower (Sattabongkoj) lotuses. The antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH methods ranged from 14.9±3.54 to 227.63±6.93 mgTEAC/gDW and 19.66±2.05 to 285.05±22.51 mgTEAC/gDW, respectively. Total phenolic contents were ranged from 8.80±1.17 to 109.90±4.37 mgGAE/gDW. The seed pod of the white short flower lotus (Sattabut) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents. This study provides basic information for development of natural antioxidants from the two lotus cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]