A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF SAMPLE PRETREATMENT ON THE AMOUNT OF SESQUITERPENE LACTONES FOUND IN CHICORY (CICHORIUM-INTYBUS L) BY ELISA AND BY HPLC

The effects of sample preparation on the amount of some sesquiterpene lactones, i.e. bitter compounds, extracted from chicory (Cichorium int ybus L.) have been studied. Sample preparation was performed using wat er or a citric acid solution both with and without cellulolytic and pe ctolytic enzymes. The concentrations of sesquiterpene lactones in the samples measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) and by high-pe rformance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The greatest amounts of sesqui terpene lactones were obtained by treatment of the chicory samples in water in the presence of the enzymes. Evidence was obtained that both free and glucosylated sesquiterpene lactones are measured in the speci fic ELISAs.