This study was conducted to enhance the utilization of Ligularia fischeri as a food ingredient. The effects of the location of cultivation and the harvest time on the components were examined. The crude fats and proteins in greenhouse samples (GL) were 2% higher than those in open field samples (OL). The fat content was found to increase from 4.31% to 5.27% as the harvest time was delayed. The Na contents were more than two times higher in GL than in OL. Moreover, the amount of free sugars in leaves differed slightly according to the harvest time but decreased overall as the harvest time was delayed. The total polyphenols increased from 202.53 to 389.16 mg% in OL and 293.57 to 439.40 mg% in GL as the harvest time was delayed. The levels of total flavonoids in OL and GL ranged from 105.58 to 202.79 mg% and 135.84 to 216.96 mg%, respectively. These increased from 0.3 to 2 times upon delaying the harvest time. The samples were also analyzed for the presence of five catechin compounds, namely, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (+)-catechin (CE), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), and (-)-gallocatechin gallate (GCG). EGC and CE were detected in both OL and GL, while EGCG, ECG, and GCG were detected only in OL at low concentrations. The 4-Ο-caffeoylquinic acid content in GL was higher than that in OL, except in the early stages of harvesting.

This study was performed for the comparison of the general components, minerals, amino acids, organic acids, free sugars, ascorbic acid, polyphenol content and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of steamed-treated reed (sprout and root) to those of raw reed. Moisture content of sprout and root of reed after steaming treatment decreased from 81.28% and 81.64% to 70.18% and 65.50%, respectively. Crude ash content was the highest in raw sprout and steam-treated root. Crude lipid content of raw sprout and root were almost similar. In addition, crude lipid content of steam-treated sprout was greater than that of root. Nitrogen free extract content of root was 2 times as high as that of sprout. Total free sugar contents of raw sprout and root increased from 1,311.39 mg% and 4,130.98 mg% to 1,157.79 mg% and 3,750.90 mg%, respectively, after steam treatment. Furthermore, the organic acid contents of sprout and root of reed after steam treatment were less than those of raw sprout and root. Calcium and potassium contents were the highest among others in both steam-treated and raw reed. Amino acid content of sprout was higher than that of root in both before and after steam treatment. Among the amino acids, serine content was the best presented in both before and after steam treated reed. Vitamin C content of steam-treated sprout and root of reed decreased from 61.74 mg% and 6.57 mg% to 4.54 mg% and 80.79 mg%, respectively. Total polyphenol content of sprout was greater than that of root in raw and steam-treated reed. DPPH free radical scavenging activity of ethanol extraction of root was greater than those of other extracts of root.