Phenolic and Antioxidant Properties of Sambucus nigra Tea Prepared under Different Conditions

Sambucus nigra L. is known as black elder, elderberry, European elder. The flowers of S.nigra is used to relieve the early symptoms of the common cold, primarily as herbal tea. Furthermore, it is used as a beverage and food flavouring for its pleasant fragrance. The plant is rich in phenolic compounds, which contribute to its strong antioxidant capacity. This study investigates the impact of the extraction period and amount of water on the phenolic profile and antioxidant potential of Sambuci flos, commonly consumed as herbal tea. The sample used in this investigation was obtained commercially as herbal tea. Totally 6 infusions were prepared: 2 grams of the sample were mixed with 200 mL, 400 mL, and 800 mL of boiling water and brewed for 10 and 30 minutes. Lyophilized samples were stored at 4 °C until analysis. The yields were determined between 12.56% and 23.04%. The total phenolic content was determinedusingtheFolin-Ciocalteumethod. Thetotalflavonoidcontentwasmeasuredusing the Aluminium Chloride method. The antioxidant activities of the samples were evaluated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl Scavenging Activity (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) methods. It was determined that the sample prepared with 200 mL hot water for 30 minutes has the highest values, with 195.665 mg GAE/g total phenolic content, whereas the highest flavonoid content (63.576 mg QE/g) was found in the infusion obtained with 800 mL of hot water for 30 minutes. The FRAP activities ranged from 352.810 to 391.317 mg TE/g, whereas the IC50 values for DPPH radical scavenging activity were between 0.0247 and 0.0316 mg/mL. Brewing parameters were observed to influence the efficiency of phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity, herbal tea, phenolic compounds, Sambucus nigra