Abstract:

Five commercially available Vicia villosa Roth honeys were evaluated for contents of total phenolic acid and total flavonoids, reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Results indicated that the content of total phenolic acid in the samples theoretically equivalent to that of catechin varied from 9.323 to 21.982 mg/100 g honey, and the content of total flavonoids theoretically equivalent to that of rutin from 0.842 to 2.295 mg/100 g honey. All the honey samples exhibited some antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. A positive correlation was observed between total phenolic acid content and DPPH radical scavenging activity or reducing power. This demonstrated that the antioxidant activity of these honeys may be inked to the total phenolic acid content. In addition, total flavonoids content had no obvious correlation with total phenolic acid content, reducing power or DPPH radical scavenging activity.

Key words: Vicia villosa Roth honey, phenolic acid, flavonoids, reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging activity