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| Flavonoid intake from vegetables, fruit, berries and beverages has been favorably linked with reduced risks of a number of diseases. One possible mechanism behind the health effects of flavonoids is their antioxidant effects. An abundant intake of antioxidants from the diet may help the body to protect against harmful effects of pollution, UV light, cigarette smoke and radiation caused by free radicals. Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus) is a vegetable widely grown in the tropics, sub-tropics and warmer areas of the temperate zones. It is known to have significant amounts of flavonoids and phenols. The 13 accessions of Okra were collected from different geographic regions of China. The objective of the study was to assess the difference of total flavonoid contents from the different tissues and varieties of Okra. Results indicated that the flavonoid content of the flowers was quite high compared to that of the root, stem, leaves, leaf stalk, and pod. Among the 13 different Okra varieties, the content of total flower flavoniods of Xiangkui No.3 was the highest. The content of total flavoniods of Xiangkui No.3 in pod was the highest among Xiangkui No.1, 3, 4, 5, 8. The above results provide a new way for the quality assessment and industrialization study of Okra. |
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| Keywords:Abelmoschus Esculentus, flavonoid extraction, spectrophotometry |
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