title: Determination of saponins in the kernel cake of Balanites aegyptiaca by HPLC-ESI/MS.
abstract: The kernel cake produced from Balanites aegyptiaca fruit of Israeli origin was analysed for its saponin constituents using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The HPLC was equipped with a reversed-phase C18 column and a refractive index detector (RID), and elution was isocratic with methanol and water (70:30). The MS system was equipped with electrospray ionisation (ESI). Nine compounds were chromatographically separated, their masses were determined in the negative ion mode and subsequent fragmentation of each component was carried out. From the nine components, six saponins with molecular masses of 1196, 1064, 1210, 1224, 1078 and 1046 Da were identified, with the compound of mass 1210 Da being the main saponin (ca. 36%). Saponins with masses of 1224 and 1046 Da have not been previously reported in B. aegyptiaca. In all saponins, diosgenin was found to be the sole aglycone. This study shows that HPLC-ESI/MS is a quick and reliable technique for characterizing the saponins from kernel cake of B. aegyptiaca.
authors.affiliation: The Phyto-Lipid Biotechnology Laboratory, the Institutes for Applied Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Bishnu P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Chapagain
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wiesman
mesh_terms: D032430:Balanites / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D012503:Saponins