Comparative analysis on main chemical constituents of Dioscorea opposita and adulterants
Objective To establish a method for the content determination of total polysaccharides,total saponins,total flavonoids and total polyphenols in Chinese yam,and to compare the content difference of components with its adulterants to achieve the classification of Dioscorea opposita and adulterants.Methods The 4 kinds of active components in 28 batches of Chinese yam and 15 batches of adulterants from different origins were determined by UV-visible spectrophotometer,and multivariate statistical analysis was conducted for classification.Results All the four kinds of active components in Chinese yam and its adulterants were detected,and the total polysaccharide content was the highest,accounting for about 20%of the weight,and accounting for more than 90%of the four components.The classification of Chinese yam and its adulterants could be realized based on the contents of four components,and the content of total polyphenols contributed the most to the classi-fication.There was no significant quality difference among the main producing areas of Chinese yam.Conclusion The meth-od established in this experiment is accurate and reliable.By determining the contents of 4 kinds of active components,the classification of Chinese yam and its adulterants can be realized,which provides scientific basis for quality control of Chinese yam based on functional substance and further development and utilization of Chinese yam planting resources.