Abstract:

This study was conducted to investigate the phenolic components and in vitro antioxidant activity of Morchella
conica Pers.. Both free and bound phenols were extracted from M. conica Pers. from three different habitats. Then,
the DPPH radical scavenging capacity, reducing power, ABTS＋· scavenging capacity and oxygen radical absorbance
capacity (ORAC) of the extracts were determined, and the phenolic components were identified by HPLC. The results
revealed that the average total polyphenol content of three M. conica Pers. was approximately 5.958 mg GAE/g, the
content of free phenols was approximately 25 times higher than bound phenols. The highest contents ((6.157 ± 0.192) and
(0.250 ± 0.018) mg GAE/g, respectively) of both free and bound phenols were detected in M. conica Pers. from Yunnan
compared to M. conica Pers. from Tibet with the lowest contents of (4.928 ± 0.045) and (0.188 ± 0.026) mg GAE/g,
respectively. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were the major components of polyphenols, and their compositions were
consistent among three growing areas although the contents were significantly different. Polyphenols in three different
M. conica Pers., had a certain degree of antioxidant capacity, especially DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The DPPH
radical scavenging capacity and reducing power of polyphenols in M. conica Pers. from Tibet were the strongest, while
M. conica Pers. from Xinjiang possessed the highest ABTS＋· scavenging capacity and ORAC value.

Key words: Morchella conica Pers., polyphenols, antioxidant activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)