Analysis of major triterpene acids and total polysaccharides in the leaves of 11 species ofEriobotrya

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica ) is a subtropical tree with commercially important fruit and with leaves that have medicinal uses against cough and asthma. Leaves contain significant amounts of phenols, flavonoids, triterpene acids, and polysaccharides. However, information of the triterpene acids and polysaccharides in leaves is limited. In this study, the contents of five major triterpene acids and total polysaccharides in the leaves of 11 species of Eriobotrya were determined using RP-HPLC and phenol-sulfuric acid method, respectively. Total concentration of triterpene acids varied from 8.38 to 22.35 mg g-1 DW. The concentration of triterpene acids was greater than 20 mg g-1 DW in E. bengalensis, E. prinoides and E. fragrans , and it was less than 10.0 mg g-1 DW in E. elliptica . Different drying temperature (40-80°C) of leaves did not affect the content of polysaccharides with highest content (80.8 mg g-1 DW) from E. prinoides . The contents of triterpene acid in six wild species and polysaccharides in 5 wild species were higher than that in cultivated loquat.