Antioxidant properties of black elder flowers and berries harvested from the wild

Abstract

In the paper, there were presented the results of the research into antioxidant properties of aqueous extracts of black elder flowers and berries harvested in 17 wild sites in Poland, and the effect of total polyphenol content on antioxidant properties of the raw material studied. It was found that the black elder flowers contained a higher amount of polyphenols than the berries harvested in the same wild sites of their occurrence, and its content significantly depended on the wild site where they were harvested. The results proved a positive correlation between the content of polyphenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of the black elder raw material. The research methods applied (FRAP, DPPH) confirmed the high antioxidant activity of black elder raw material; however, this activity was the highest in the case of the black elder flowers.