Extraction of Polyphenols from Herbaceous Peony Petals and Evaluation of In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Activity
Herbaceous peony ( Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is a traditional Chinese flower with high ornamental value. However, the antioxidant value of P. lactiflora petals has not been fully utilized, and the petals are often discarded as waste after flowering. Plant petals are typically rich in polyphenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties, but research on the antioxidant properties of P. lactiflora petals remains insufficient. To investigate the antioxidant effects of P. lactiflora petal polyphenol extract (PPP), this study first determined and compared the PPP content of seven P. lactiflora cultivars, and then evaluated their antioxidant effects through in vitro and in vivo assays. Among the seven cultivars, the petals of P. lactiflora ‘Dan Feng’ exhibited the highest polyphenol content, reaching 81.38 mg/g, which was significantly higher than that of the other cultivars. PPP exhibited strong antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, with scavenging rates of 84.31% and 92.40% at 100 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, its hydroxyl free radical (·OH) scavenging activity was relatively weaker, with a scavenging rate of 48.02% at 1 mg/mL, significantly lower than that of vitamin C. Furthermore, the in vivo antioxidant effects of PPP were evaluated using Caenorhabditis elegans . The results showed that PPP enhanced locomotion, improved resistance to heat and oxidative stress, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, reduced intestinal lipofuscin accumulation and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and extended lifespan without significantly affecting reproduction. These results indicate that PPP possesses strong antioxidant activity, providing a theoretical foundation for the development and utilization of P. lactiflora petals.
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