Key Findings
Phenolics are one of the important phytochemicals and relate to antioxidant activity.
Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is the most abundant lignan in flaxseed. Other phenolic compounds including phenolic acids and flavonoids (gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid) are found in flaxseed. In this study, phytochemical profiles as well as total and cellular antioxidant activities in six cultivars of oil and fiber flaxseeds were assessed. Both fiber and oil flaxseeds have considerable contents of phenolics and flavonoids and potent antioxidant activities. There were significant differences in phytochemical content and antioxidant activity among the six cultivars assessed. However, the content of total phenolic and flavonoid content, and total antioxidant activity between fiber and oil flaxseeds were not significantly different.
Abstract
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a rich source of nutritive and bioactive compounds. The research evaluated the disparity in phytochemical profiles along with total and cellular antioxidant activities between oil and fiber flaxseeds. There were significant differences in total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activities among the six cultivars of fiber and oil flaxseed, respectively. Four phytochemical compounds including caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid, and secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) were identified and quantified in the cultivars of oil and fiber flaxseed by HPLC analysis. Notably, the average of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, along with total antioxidant activities between fiber and oil flaxseeds were not different significantly; even the cellular antioxidant activity of fiber flaxseed was superior to oil flaxseed. These results suggest that fiber flaxseeds would be valuable candidates as functional products and dietary supplements production owing to the higher bioactive values as well as oil flaxseeds.
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