Solvent effect on phenolics and antioxidant activity of Huangshan Gongju (Dendranthema morifolium (Ramat) Tzvel. cv. Gongju) extract

Huangshan Gongju was extracted with organic solvents (ethanol, methanol and acetone) of different concentrations (0–90%), and the extracts’ phenolic content and antioxidant activity , as well as the correlations between them were examined. With the increasing concentration of organic solvent, the total phenolic compound (TPC) increased continuously and met its maximum at 70% acetone, whereas the total flavonoid compound (TFC) and most individual phenolics met their maximums at 70% ethanol. Similar changes occurred to the antioxidant activity, including DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities, and their maximums were respectively found at 50% acetone and 70% ethanol. The antioxidant activity correlated strongly with TPC/TFC ( r  > 0.954, p  < 0.01) and individual phenolics ( r  > 0.886, p  < 0.05), and the strongest correlations between them were mainly given by luteolin-7- O -glucoside ( r  > 0.975, p  < 0.001). These results suggested that high content organic solvent (50–70%) was beneficial to obtain Huangshan Gongju extracts of higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and 70% ethanol may be the promising solvent. Besides, phenolics were found to be the main antioxidants of Huangshan Gongju extracts, and flavonoids especially luteolin-7- O -glucoside may play more important roles in the antioxidant activity.