Comparison and correlation analysis of flavonoids and chlorogenic acid contents in different strains of Acer truncatum

The morphological characteristics, total flavonoid content (TFC) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) contents of leaves from different strains of Acer truncatum were analyzed with the goal of providing guidance for the development and utilization of Acer truncatum leaves (ATLs) and a selection system for the medicinal cultivar of Acer truncatum species. The morphological characteristics of the ATLs were determined using conventional methods, and TFC and CGA were used to determine the ATL extract by UV spectrophotometry and HPLC. The results showed that most traits significantly differed among the ATL morphologies of different strains and that considerable variability was found between different strains in both TFC (15.04 to 35.18 mg/g) and CGA (0.17 to 0.77 mg/g). The CGA content of ATLs could be improved by selecting for leaf lobe length (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.551(star)). Principal component analysis showed that the variations in the ATLs were primarily determined by four comprehensive factors: shape, TFC, angle, and petiole. The TOPSIS method was used to obtain the quality of medicinal Acer truncatum resources: Clone No. '1-6', Clone No. '1-7' and Clone No. '5-4'.