Abstract: The antioxidant composition and activity of chrysanthemum flowers from Chuzhou, Anhui were determined for its further exploitation and utilization. The contents of phenolics, carotenoids and polysaccharides in the extracts of chrysanthemum flowers were measured and their antioxidant activities were investigated in this study. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in chrysanthemum flowers from Chuzhou were 53.67 and 70.32 mg/g, which were higher than those in Dayang chrysanthemum flowers, while the contents of polysaccharides and carotenoids were relatively lower. Among the three extracts, the phenolic extract was presented the strongest antioxidant activity with scavenging capacity of 208.79 mmol/g against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and of 160.23 mmol/g against 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical as well as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value of 238.35 mmol/g. By high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), six phenolic acids such as catechin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, hyperin and quercetin were identified as well as two carotenoids such as lutein and β-caroteonid. The content of chlorogenic acid was the highest (813.21 mg/g) of these phenolic compounds, followed by hyperin (408.17 mg/g). Lutein was the most abundant carotenoid (78.6 mg/g). Chlorogenic acid made the greatest contribution to the ferric reducing power, while hyperin made the greatest contribution to the DPPH and ABTS cation radical scavenging activities when not considering synergism. Lutein in carotenoids contributes most to the of DPPH free radical scavenging activity.

Key words: Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat from Chuzhou, antioxidant ingredients, antioxidant activity