Phenolic and carotenoid composition of Rhododendron luteum Sweet and Ferula communis L. subsp. communis flowers

Abstract

The biologically important potential of polyphenols and carotenoids from plants motivates the exploration of new natural sources and medicinal uses for these chemicals. Plants with colorful flowers are used not only for the benefits of bioactive compounds but also for smart textile materials and as colorants. In this study, quantification of phenolic compounds and carotenoids in Rhododendron luteum Sweet and Ferula communis L. subsp. communis flowers were determined. The flowers of these plants were analysed for the first time in Türkiye. While catechin (297.36±3.42 µg/g), 4-OH benzoic acid (179.28±2.87 µg/g) and salicylic acid (178.98±2.42 µg/g) are found to be relatively higher in R. luteum Sweet flowers compared to other phenolic compounds, relatively higher amounts of rutin (335.95±4.32 µg/g) and ferulic acid (367.10±4.11 µg/g) were found in F. communis L. subsp. communis flowers. On the other hand, lutein and β-carotene were detected in both species, whereas astaxanthin (4.46±0.21 µg/g) was found only in R. luteum. This phytochemical information may be important for the proper utilization of these plants as sources of phenolic compounds and carotenoids for a variety of possible commercial applications.