On a global scale, people are demanding more attractive and tasty food. Both the quality of foodstuffs and aesthetic aspects contribute to the appearance of consumed meals. The attraction and appeal of individual dishes could be enhanced by edible flowers. New information concerning the composition and nutritional value of edible flowers is also important and represents a sufficient reason for their consumption. The aim of this study is to contribute to the popularization of some selected edible flowers of ornamental plants involving altogether 12 species. The flowers were used to determine their antioxidant capacity, which fluctuated between 4.21 and 6.96 g of ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/kg of fresh mass (FM). Correlation coefficients between antioxidant capacity and the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids were r2 = 0.9705 and r2 = 0.7861, respectively. Moreover, the results were supplemented with new data about the mineral composition of edible flowers (mostly, not found in the available literature). The highest levels of mineral elements were observed in the flowers of species Chrysanthemum, Dianthus or Viola. The most abundant element was potassium, the content of which ranged from 1,842.61 to 3,964.84 mg/kg of FM.

Basil (Ocimum L.) species are used as medicinal plants due to their essential oils exhibiting specific biological activity. The present work demonstrated that both the variety and season/conditions of cultivation had a significant effect on (i) the produced amount (extraction yield), (ii) qualitative, as well as (iii) quantitative profile of basil essential oil. Among studied basil varieties, a new variety, ‘Mánes’, was characterized for the first time. Based on our quantitative evaluation of GC-MS profiles, the following chemotypes and average concentrations of a main component were detected in the studied basil varieties: ‘Ohře’, ‘Lettuce Leaf’, ‘Purple Opaal’, ‘Dark Green’ (linalool, 5.99, 2.49, 2.34, 2.01 mg/mL, respectively), and ‘Mammolo Genovese’, ‘Mánes’, ‘Red Rubin’ (eucalyptol, 1.34, 0.96, 0.76 mg/mL, respectively). At the same time, when considering other compounds identified in GC-MS profiles, all the studied varieties, except from ‘Lettuce Leaf’, were methyl eugenol-rich with a strong dependence of the eugenol:methyl eugenol ratio on the seasonal changes (mainly solar irradiation, but also temperature and relative humidity). More complex and/or variable (depending on the season and cultivation) chemotypes were observed with ‘Lettuce Leaf’ (plus estragole, 2.27 mg/mL), ‘Dark Green’ (plus eucalyptol, 1.36 mg/mL), ‘Mammolo Genovese’ (plus eugenol, 1.19 mg/mL), ‘Red Rubin’ (plus linalool and eugenol, 0.46 and 0.56 mg/mL, respectively), and ‘Mánes’ (plus linalool and eugenol, 0.58 and 0.40 mg/mL, respectively). When considering superior extraction yield (ca. 17 mL·kg−1, i.e., two to five times higher than other examined varieties) and consistent amounts (yields) of essential oil when comparing inter-seasonal or inter-year data (RSD and inter-year difference in mean yield values ˂2.5%), this new basil variety is very promising for use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

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Artículo de publicación ISIThis study investigates the variations in the chemical profile, free radical scavenging, antioxidant and gastroprotective activities of licorice extracts (LE) from plants harvested during the months of February to November. Correlations between biological properties and the chemical composition of LE were also investigated. The results showed that the total contents of phenols, flavonoids and tannins in LE varied at different harvest times. Liquiritin and glycyrrhizin, the major components of LE, varied in the range of 28.65–62.80 and 41.84–114.33 mg g-1, respectively. The relative proportion of glycyrrhizin derivative (3), glabridin (4), glabrene (5) and liquiritigenin derivative (6), varied in the range of 0.88–11.38 %, 1.86–10.03 %, 1.80–18.40 % and 5.53– 16.31 %, respectively. These fluctuations correlated positively with changes in the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of licorice. In general, the samples from May and November showed the most favorable free radical scavenging and antioxidant effects, whereas the best gastroprotective effect was in May. Liquiritin and glycyrrhizin, the major constituents in the February and May LE, appeared to contribute to the superoxide radical scavenging and gastroprotective effects. Glabridin and glabrene, the compounds with the highest relative proportion in the November LE, accounted for the antioxidant and DPPH scavenging activities of licorice. It is concluded that the chemical profile of licorice quantitatively varied at different harvest times and these fluctuations determined changes in its bioactivities. These data could pave the way to optimize harvesting protocols for licorice in relation with its health-promoting properties

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