Quantification of Saponins in 45 Different Cultivars of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Abstract

Abstract: The colorimetric method was used for quantification of saponins. The content of total saponin in leaves and stems of 45 different cultivars alfalfa( Medicago sativa L.) growing in Beijing were determined. The results show that there are distinctly different among cultivars in content of saponin. The total saponins in leaves were higher than that in stem. In the 4-year plant, the highest level of total saponin was “Vernal”which content was 1.174%. The lowest cultivars “Empress” was 0.606%. In the 3-years plant, “WL442”had the highest content with 1.141%. The lowest contents were “Nongbao” with 0.788%. The highest total saponin content in 2-years plant is“victory”with 1.293%, the lowest was “Total” with 0.722%. In all 45 cultivars, the saponin content of highest cultivars was 2.13 time than the lowest one, and may be influenced by growing ages.

Gao Weiwei, Tong Jianming, Li Zhan, Sa Renna, Liu Xiaoli. Quantification of Saponins in 45 Different Cultivars of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)[J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2006, 22(2): 191-191.

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