BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO LAVENDER (LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA Mill.) CULTIVARS

Abstract

Two lavender cultivars grown in local farms, in Buzău county, were analyzed for determining bioactive compounds contents: ‘Codeanca’ and ‘Vera’.
They were found to have different carotenoid contents, with a total amount of 20.71–26.43 mg/kg, with lutein and lycopene being the most important. β-carotene was only found in significant amounts in ‘Vera’ cultivar. The total phenolic compounds inventory ranged between 20,313–35,753 mg/kg, with maximum concentration in ‘Vera’. Phenolic acids were dominant (69–73 %), with flavonoids forming most of the remaining amounts.
Oil amounts averaged 15,533 mg/kg in ‘Vera’ and 12,000 mg/kg in ‘Codreanca’. Ascorbic acid content showed the widest array of variation, with an average of 1,278 mg/kg in ‘Vera’ and only 189 mg/kg in ‘Codreanca’.
Among the two cultivars, under the local conditions,‘Vera’ was the richest in terms of carotenoids (total, β-carotene, lutein and xanthins), phenolic compounds (total, phenolic acids, flavonoids – including flavanols and anthocyanins, tannins, coumarins, stilbenes), oil and ascorbic acid. ‘Codreanca’. Scored highest only in terms of lycopene content.