title: Phytoecdysteroids and flavonoid glycosides among Chilean and commercial sources of Chenopodium quinoa: variation and correlation to physico-chemical characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about varietal differences in the content of bioactive phytoecdysteroids (PE) and flavonoid glycosides (FG) from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). The aim of this study was to determine the variation in PE and FG content among 17 distinct quinoa sources and identify correlations to genotypic (highland vs. lowland) and physico-chemical characteristics (seed color, 100-seed weight, protein content, oil content).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PE and FG concentrations exhibited over four-fold differences across quinoa sources, ranging from 138 ± 11 µg g(-1) to 570 ± 124 µg g(-1) total PE content and 192 ± 24 µg g(-1) to 804 ± 91 µg g(-1) total FG content. Mean FG content was significantly higher in highland Chilean varieties (583.6 ± 148.9 µg g(-1)) versus lowland varieties (228.2 ± 63.1 µg g(-1)) grown under the same environmental conditions (P = 0.0046; t-test). Meanwhile, PE content was positively and significantly correlated with oil content across all quinoa sources (r = 0.707, P = 0.002; Pearson correlation).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FG content may be genotypically regulated in quinoa. PE content may be increased via enhancement of oil content. These findings may open new avenues for the improvement and development of quinoa as a functional food.
authors: Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
authors: Brittany L
authors: BL
authors: Graf
authors: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Arturo Prat, Casilla 121, Iquique, Chile.
authors: Leonel E
authors: LE
authors: Rojo
authors: Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Arturo Prat, Casilla 121, Iquique, Chile.
authors: Jose
authors: J
authors: Delatorre-Herrera
authors: Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Poulev
authors: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Arturo Prat, Casilla 121, Iquique, Chile.
authors: Camila
authors: C
authors: Calfio
authors: Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
authors: Ilya
authors: I
authors: Raskin
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D027465:Chenopodium quinoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D002677:Chile; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D026461:Ecdysteroids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D055951:Functional Food / Q000032:analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006027:Glycosides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D026461:Ecdysteroids; D005419:Flavonoids; D006027:Glycosides
keywords: 20-hydroxyecdysone; breeding; morphological; nutritional; phytochemical; polyphenol