• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.771-779
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activities (FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH), and antibacterial properties of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) extracts. Lotus leaves, stems, and seed pods were extracted with deionized water at $95^{\circ}C$, and with 70.5% ethanol at $85^{\circ}C$. The TPC ranged from 8.12 to 215.12 GAE mg/g. The ethanol extract of the seed pod had the highest TPC, and the TPC of the corresponding deionized water extract was 161.45 mg/g. FRAP values ranged from 104.03 to $3,546.39TEAC\;{\mu}mol/g$, ABTS radical cation scavenging activities ranged from 105.11 to $3,956.94TEAC\;{\mu}mol/g$, and DPPH radical scavenging activities ranged from 37.29 to $2,549.46TEAC\;{\mu}mol/g$. $EC_{50}$ values ranged from 0.26 to 9.63 mg/mL, and 0.31 to 21.21 mg/mL for ABTS and DPPH, respectively. The ethanol and deionized water extracts of the seed pod showed higher TPC and stronger antioxidant properties (FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH) than those of characteristic of the leaf extracts. The ethanol and deionized water extracts of the seed pod showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with inhibition zones of 9.0 to 14.0 mm, and the ethanol extract of the leaf showed antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis and S. aureus with inhibition zones of 9.0 and 10.0 mm, respectively. Thus, the lotus seed pod could be used to produce novel teas, and could be a potential source of therapeutic ingredients for food and medicine.