In: Phyton 62-63 (2023): S. 97-105; DOI: 10.12905/0380.phyton62-63-2023-0097 Published online on 14 April 2023

Determination of total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in different hemp (Cannabis sativa) phenotypes

Marjeta Eržen, Iztok J. Košir, Ksenija Rutnik, Samo Kreft & Andreja Cerenak

with 3 figures and 2 tables

Key words: Cannabis sativa, hemp, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, DPPH.

Summary

Eržen M., Košir I. J., Rutnik K., Kreft S. & Cerenak A. 2023. Determination of total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in different hemp (Cannabis sativa) phenotypes. – Phyton (Horn, Austria) 62–63: 97–105, with 3 figures and 2 tables.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa) contains a great variety of secondary plant constituents. Besides cannabinoids and terpenoids, polyphenols also play an important role in hemp. Besides their role in plant defense mechanisms, they exhibit many positive effects, e.g. antioxidant acitivity, which may be beneficial for human health. In our study, total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activity in female inflorescences in six different hemp phenotypes of three varieties (Carmagnola Selected [C], Tiborszallasi [T], and Finola Selection [F]) were determined. Two different extraction solvents were used: water and ethanol (99.8 %). TPC was measured using Folin-Ciocalteu’s reagent, and antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH method. TPC and antioxidant activity analysis both showed better results for ethanolic extracts. The highest TPC was found in ethanolic extracts of the Finola Selection phenotype FIV (31.8 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry matter) and the highest antioxidant activity in the FII phenotype (75.3 %). For water extracts the highest TPC was evaluated in the FII phenotype (6.4 mg GAE/g dry matter) and the highest antioxidant activity in CII and TIII phenotypes (65 %).