DETERMINATION OF VITAMIN C IN FLOWERS OF SOME BOSNIAN CRATAEGUS L. SPECIES Određivanje vitamina C u cvjetovima nekih bosanskohercegovačkih vrsta

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid content has been determinated by spectrophotometric method and titrimetric method in flowers of some Bosnian hawthorns (Crataegus L). species. Spectrophotometric method used in this study was based on the kinetic reaction between Vitamin C and methylene blue. Measurements were carried out at absorption maximum, λmax= 665 nm. We found that the lowest content of vitamin C was 617.07 mg/100 g of dry sample in flowers of the C. microphylla, and the highest level of Vitamin C was found in the C. monogyna (1104 mg/100 g of dry sample) flowers. Recoveries of the results obtained by the spectrophotometric method were 94 % 100% with relative standard deviation (RSD) values from 4.5% – 6.7 %. Obtained results shown that flowers of investigated Crataegus L. species are good source of vitamin C.