PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF THE HERB OF MEADOW CLOVER GROWING ON THE TERRITORY OF THE ORENBURG REGION

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the quantitative content and assess the severity of the total antioxidant activity of natural antioxidants of the herb of Trifolium pratense L., growing in the Orenburg region. Methodology: Herb of Trifolium pratense L. collected in Sakmarsky, Tyulgansky, Buzuluksky and Ponomarevsky districts of the Orenburg region was used as objects of research. The quantitative content of the sum of flavonoids and the sum of hydroxycinnamic acids was evaluated by differential UV spectrophotometry, the content of the sum of tannins and the sum of organic acids was found by titrimetry, the level of ascorbic acid was determined by redox titration. The severity of the total antioxidant activity of the studied plant raw materials was judged by the ability to inhibit the autoxidation of adrenaline. Statistical processing of primary data was carried out using the Microsoft Excel 2016 and Statistica 6.0 software package. Results. The analysis of the quantitative content of biologically active substances and the severity of the total antioxidant activity revealed the maximum accumulation of flavonoids, tannins, organic, hydroxycinnamic acids and the severity of the total antioxidant activity in the herb of meadow clover growing on the territory of the Ponomarevsky district, the largest accumulation of ascorbic acid – in the raw materials of meadow clover growing in the Tyulgansky district. Conclusion. The herb of Trifolium pratense L. which grows in the Orenburg region can be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidants (organic acids, phenolic compounds).