Simultaneous Quantification of Bioactive Triterpene Saponins Calenduloside E and Chikusetsusaponin IVa in Different Plant Parts of Ten Amaranthaceae Species by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS Method

Calenduloside E (CE) and chikusetsusaponin IVa (ChIVa) are triterpene saponins with multidirectional bioactivity. In this study, the contents of CE and ChIVa were determined in the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of ten wild-growing species of Amaranthaceae. To achieve optimal extraction conditions for both saponins, maceration, shaking-assisted maceration, and ultrasound-assisted and heat reflux extraction were compared. A sensitive, specific, and rapid UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of CE and ChIVa. The results showed that CE and ChIVa coexisted in most of the species analyzed, except for Ch. hybridum. For the first time, the presence of CE and ChIVa was noted in L. polysperma, A. patula, B. bonus-henricus, O. rubra, and O. glauca. Of the species analyzed, the highest ChIVa content was found in the fruit of A. sagittata (13.15 mg/g dw), L. polysperma (12.20 mg/g dw), and Ch. album (10.0 mg/g dw), and in the fruit and roots of Ch. strictum (5.52 and 7.77 mg/g dw, respectively). The highest amount of CE was determined in the fruit of A. sagittata (7.84 mg/g dw) and Ch. strictum (6.54 mg/g dw). These saponin-abundant plant parts of Amaranthaceae spp. may be considered convenient sources of these bioactive saponins.