Preliminary Phytochemicals and Pharmacologic Activities Assessment of White and Pink Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Flowers
The phytochemicals of the ethanolic extracts of petals and stamens of lotus flowers from several lotus cultivars belonging to the Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (namely 'lotus white flower' and 'lotus pink flower') were studied by color reaction test and HPTLC analysis. The lotus pink flower stamens showed a highest amount of ethanolic extractives (ca. 18.33±2.14% of dry material weight). The several the ethanolic extracts of N. nucifera petals and stamens showed similar qualitative phytochemicals. The crude extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoinds, tannins and polyphenols. The antioxidant activity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. The analyzed lotus pink flower stamens ethanolic extract showed a highest antioxidant activity at IC50 = 0.61±0.16 μg/ml and lotus pink flower petals ethanolic extract showed a highest tyrosinase inhibitory effect at IC50 = 2.25±0.21 μg/ml. N. nucifera flowers could be provide a potential natural source of phytochemicals and could be beneficial to the cosmetic properties.