ASSESSMENT OF SAFFLOWER FLOWERS (Carthamus tinctorius L.) AS POTENTIAL FOOD ANTIOXIDANTS

Abstract

Bioactive compounds have received increased attention for their use as preservatives and dyes in food by replacing synthetic antioxidants and they are also involved in prevention humans against diverse chronic diseases. Among the sources of these antioxidants, safflower (Carthamustinctorius L.), a medicinal plant cultivated in the Northeastern Sahara of Algeria for its interests as a nutritional and medicinal product. Through this research, we investigated the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of hydroethanolic extract of safflower flowers. The extracts were prepared by macerating the flower powder in 70% ethanol. Analysis of total polyphenols was performed by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, flavonoids by aluminum trichloride and tannins condensed by vanillin. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the phosphomolybdate and 2,2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) tests. The total polyphenols content was 22.55±0.67 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight, flavonoids was 96.70±5.14 mg of rutin equivalent/g dry weight and condensed tannins was 8.50±0.49 mg of catechin equivalent/g dry weight. The extract showed a good antioxidant potential of 25.69±1.83 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g dry weight and that it has a considerable and dose-dependent scavenging ability to reduce ABTS, with a 50% inhibition concentration of 19.64±0.07 μg/mL. This research reveals the potential of C. tinctoriusflorets for its further applications as natural sources of bioactive compounds.