Flowers of Campanula species as a source of biologically active substances

Abstract

The content of the major groups of biologically active substances in flowers of 7 Campanula species, cultivated in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia, were investigated for the first time. Freshly collected flowers were found to contain 0.06-0.15 % of catechins, 0.31-3.17 % of flavonols, 3.31-6.47 % of tannins, 3.10-15.57 % of pectic substances, and 0.66-16.4 mg% of carotenoids calculated per absolute dre weight of raw material. The amount of ascorbic acid was 36.9-114.0 mg% per wet weight. The data indicate that Campanula flowers are promising for the production of phenolic compounds, the development of food additives and fresh consumptions a seasoning.