Abstract

Crinum latifolium flower bulb has excellent medicinal value due to its phytochemical components, especially alkaloids. These alkaloids have attracted considerable attention due to their interesting pharmacological properties. Vacuum drying is an important process for dehydration of highly heat-sensitive materials. This research was conducted at STNanotech laboratory, Soc Trang province, Vietnam in 2021 to evaluate the influence of drying temperature and vacuum pressure to the phenolic composition and the antioxidant capacity of Crinum latifolium flower bulb. Raw flower bulbs were dried under vacuum dryer at different temperature (40oC, 45oC, 50oC, 55oC, 60oC) and pressure (−0.2, -0.4, -0.6, -0.8, -1.0 bar) for 4 hours and were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), diphenyl picrylhydrazyl content (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) content (ABTS). Results showed that vacuum drying at 40oC at a vacuum pressure -0.8 bar would retain retained the highest total phenolic content (244 mg gae/100 g), flavonoid content (123 mg QE/100 g), DPPH free radical scavenging (109 |ug/mL), ABTS radical scavenging activity (1.96 mM TE/g) of the dried flower bulb. From vacuum dehydration, the fresh Crinum latifolium could be converted into one kind of herbal tea with numerous health benefits.