Phenolic and Carotenoid Composition of Rhododendron luteum Sweet and Ferula communis L. subsp. communis Flowers

The biologically important potential of polyphenols and carotenoids from plants motivates the exploration of new natural sources and medicinal uses for these chemicals. Plants with colourful flowers are used not only for the benefits of bioactive compounds, but also for smart textile materials and as colorants. In this study, quantification of phenolic compounds and carotenoids in Rhododendron luteum Sweet and Ferula communis L. subsp. communis flowers were determined. The flowers of these plants were analyzed for the first time in Türkiye. While catechin (297.36 ± 3.42 µg/g), 4-OH benzoic acid (179.28 ± 2.87 µg/g) and salicylic acid (178.98 ± 2.42 µg/g) are relatively higher in Rhododendron luteum Sweet flowers compared to other phenolic compounds, relatively higher amounts of rutin (335.95 ± 4.32 µg/g) and ferulic acid (367.10 ± 4.11 µg/g) were found in Ferula communis L. subsp. communis flowers. On the other hand, lutein and β-carotene were detected in both species, whereas astaxanthin (4.46 µ ± 0.21 µg/g) was found only in Rhododendron luteum Sweet. This phytochemical data may be of great importance for the effective use of these plants as sources of phenolic compounds and carotenoids for various potential commercial purposes.