3.3. ABTS•+ radical cation scavenging activity
There was a significant variation in the antioxidant capacities
of the edible flowers (46.46 ± 1.69 to 2078.34 ± 23.08 mol
Trolox/g) (Table 3). Paeonia lactiflora Pall had the highest antioxidant
capacity among the tested flowers, followed by Rosa
rugosa Thunb (purple), Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour and
Rosa rugosa Thunb (pink). Gomphrena globosa Linn had the
lowest ABTS value. Following the gastric phase of the in vitro
digestion model, the antioxidant capacities of 20 edible flowers
were increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the antioxidant capacities of 3 edible flowers, Chimonanthus praecox (L.) Link,
Lilium brownii var. viridulum and Rosmarinus officinalis L were
significantly decreased. After the duodenal phase of digestion,
Paeonia lactiflora Pall had the highest antioxidant capacity
among the 23 edible flowers, followed by Osmanthus fragrans
(Thunb.) Lour, Rosa rugosa Thunb (purple), and Chrysanthemum
morifolium. In this study, Paeonia lactiflora Pall showed
the highest antioxidant capacity before and after the gastric
and duodenal phases of the in vitro digestion model. Through
the in vitro digestion model, the antioxidant capacities of 7 edible
flowers were increased significantly (P < 0.05). The antioxidant
capacity of Chrysanthemum morifolium was obviously
increased and it was increased nearly 4.70-fold. Compared with
the initial ABTS value, the antioxidant capacities of 11 edible
flowers were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The ABTS value
of Rosa rugosa Thunb (purple) decreased most obviously, from
818.35 ± 7.33 to 612.99 ± 19.47 mol Trolox/g (1.33-fold change).