ABSTRACT
The free and protein-bound amino acid composition of the herb and roots of Smallanthus sonchifolius was analyzed by HPLC method. Fourteen free and fifteen protein-bound amino acids were determined in yacon herb, and three free and fourteen protein-bound amino acids in the roots. Among the free amino acids, proline (0.44 µg/mg) and aspartic acid (0.12 µg/mg) were dominant in the herb and proline (0.28 µg/mg) in the roots. Among the protein-bound amino acids, aspartic acid (18.58 µg/mg), glutamic acid (16.33 µg/mg) and proline (14.52 µg/mg) prevailed in the herb, and proline (3.14 μg/mg) in the roots. Fructose, sucrose and arabinose were identified in free form in the herb of S. sonchifolius applying gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The polysaccharide complex was obtained from yacon herb, its yield was 5.13 ± 0.09%. Fructose (3.11 µg/mg) was the only monosaccharide identified in the hydrolysate of the obtained complex.
Subject(s)
Amino Acids/analysis , Asteraceae/chemistry , Carbohydrates/analysis , Phytochemicals/analysis , Plant Roots/chemistry , Plant ExtractsABSTRACT
Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) is a new prospective plant cultivated in Europe as a natural sugarcane substitute. It is used for diabetes and for the prevention of obesity. The study of carboxylic acids in the roots and herb of S. sonchifolius was carried out for the first time by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). As a result of the study, 12 components were found in the roots of S. sonchifolius, 9 of which were carboxylic acids. The S. sonchifolius herb contained 41 components, 18 of which were carboxylic acids. The dominant compounds in the roots were: undecanoic acid, methyl ester - 546.04 mg/kg; 1-benzazirene-1-carboxylic acid, 2,2,5a-trimethyl-1a-[3-oxo-1-butenyl] perhydro-, methyl ester - 360.63 mg/kg; 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester - 119.21 mg/kg. In the herb of the yacon dominant is cyclohexanol, 1-ethynyl - 28.67 mg/kg. Key words: Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) carbo- xylic acids GC-MS.