Profiling of saponins in four different species of Chlorophytum by liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry.

The genus Chlorophytum, rich in saponins is used in Ayurveda, an Indian alternative system of medicine. This study illustrates a comprehensive picture of saponins in four different species of Chlorophytum viz., Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau and Fernandes, Chlorophytum glaucoides Blatt, Chlorophytum glaucum Dalz, Chlorophytum bharuchae Ansari, Sundargarh, Hemadri, from the western ghats of India. Metabolite profiling of leaves and tubers using Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time Of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) indicated presence of 13 saponins. C. glaucum was found to be abundant in saponins followed by C. glaucoides. Tokorogenin, diosgenin and sarsasapogenin are most abundant saponins confirmed from the leaves of C. glaucum and tubers of C. glaucoides.