식용꽃인 꽃베고니아(Begonia semperflorens ‘Superolympia White’), 토레니아(Torenia fournieri ‘Crown Pink’), 팬지(Viola tricolor ‘Solvetsunny Royal’) 및 펠라고니움(Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Jessie Jarrett’) 추출물의 총페놀 함량, 전자공여능 및 세포독성에 미치 는 영향을 조사하였다. 에탄올 추출물의 총 페놀함량은 펠라고니움의 경우 531.57mg/100g으로 높게 나타났으 나 토레니아는 30.98mg/100g, 팬지는 14.62mg/100g, 꽃베고니아는 5.77mg/100g으로 낮게 나타났다. 전자공 여능은 꽃베고니아, 토레니아, 팬지의 열수 및 에탄올 추출물은 500g·mL-1에서는 모두 69.4% 이하를 나타 냈으나 펠라고니움의 열수 및 에탄올 추출물은 125g·mL-1에서도 각각 94% 내외를 나타내었다. 세포 생존율은 토레니아와 팬지의 열수 및 에탄올 추출물 처리구에서는 95% 이하를 나타내어 세포사가 일어난 것으로 추정되었다. 히스타민 억제효과는 펠라고니움 추출물의 경우 91% 이상을 나타냈으나 토레니아 추출 물은 51-66%, 팬지 추출물은 14-24%, 꽃베고니아 추 출물은 1~2%의 억제 효과만 나타났다.
Total phenolics content, the electron donor capacity and their cytotoxicity effects of ethanol extracts of four different edible flowers, including Begonia semperflorens ‘Superolympia White’, Torenia fournieri ‘Crown Pink’, Viola tricolor ‘Solvetsunny Royal’, and Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Jessie Jarrett’, were examined. Total phenolics content from Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Jessie Jarrett’ was the greatest with 531.57 mg/100g, followed by that of Torenia fournieri ‘Crown Pink’, Viola tricolor ‘Solvetsunny Royal’, and Begonia semperflorens ‘Superolympia White’ with 30.98, 14.62, and 5.77 mg/100g, respectively. 1.1-dipheny-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of heated water and ethanol extracts from Begonia semperflorens ‘Superolympia White’, Torenia fournieri ‘Crown Pink’, and Viola tricolor ‘Solvetsunny Royal’ extracts in 500 g·mL-1 was below 69.4%. However, that of extracts from Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Jessie Jarrett’ even at 125 g·mL-1 was around 94.0%, showing the greatest level. The cell viability of Torenia fournieri ‘Crown Pink’ and Viola tricolor ‘Solvetsunny Royal’ extracts exhibited less than 95%. On the other hand, the inhibition ratio of histamine release in Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Jessie Jarrett’ extracts was great with 91.0%. Inhibition ratio of histamine release by extracts ranged from 51 to 66% in Torenia fournieri ‘Crown Pink’, from 14 to 24% in Viola tricolor ‘Solvetsunny Royal’, and from 1 to 2% in Begonia semperflorens ‘Superolympia White’.