The research on the flowering of Arnica montana L. and A. chamissonis Less, was carried out in the years 2005-2006 on two- and three-year plantations on grey-brown podsolic soil with the granulometric composition of heavy clay sand. The aim of the work was to determine the pattern and length of flowering of two- and three-year-old plants under field cultivation conditions with successive flower head collection. The flowering of Arnica montana in both years of study lasted 26 days (from the 28th of May to the 22nd of June). In this period, eight collections of flower heads were made. When analyzing the number of inflorescences gathered during particular collections, it was concluded that at the initial stage of flowering it was not great, but it successively increased with the passage of time up to the seventh collection. The pattern of flowering of the two- and three-year-old Arnica montana plants was similar. The inflorescences of Arnica chamissonis were collected six times, and the most abundant flowering was found in the middle period of this stage, which lasted 20 days.
Arnica sp. infusions and tinctures play a great role in the traditional and contemporary medicine. Seeds of plantation-grown Arnica montana L. (AM) and Arnica chamissonis var. foliosa Less. (AC ) are a good source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. In both studied genera higher levels of phenolic acids and flavonoids were detected in water extracts. Regardless of plant genus, predominant fractions of phenolics were determined in seeds, comprising chlorogenic, caffeic acid, quercetin and kaempferol. All samples show high antioxidant activity, however, their levels depend on the extraction procedure and used material. The free radicals were scavenged most effectively by extracts of AC seeds (30.3% – SASA, 31.3% – DPPH and 39.8% – ABTS, respectively). It should be noted that lipid peroxidation was strongly inhibited by both studied tinctures. It is noteworthy that studied samples show positive correlations between inhibition of lipid peroxidation ability and total flavonoids and phenolic acids content (r=0.89 and r=0.83, respectively). Results obtained from this study show that Arnica seeds extract, either alone or in combination with other active principles, can be used in cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.