DETERMINATION OF CARDIAC-GLYCOSIDES IN MO ROHEIYA (CORCHORUS-OLITORIUS) AND ITS PRODUCTS BY HPLC

Cardiac glycosides in ''Moroheiya'' (C. olitorius) and its products we re analyzed as their aglycone, strophanthidin (SP), by reverse-phase H PLC with UV detection. Methanol extracts of ''Moroheiya'' samples were hydrolyzed with 1 mol/L HCl and cleaned up with a Bond Elut Silica ca rtridge. Well-matured seed of C. olitorius contained large amounts of cardiac glycosides in the range of 4.1 similar to 6.6 mg/g (average 5. 43 mg/8) as SP. The pod also contained a small amount of cardiac glyco sides (0.24 mu g/g as SP). However, no cardiac glycosides were detecte d in the fresh ''Moroheiya'' (including green leaf, green stem, shoot and pod), which has been used in Japan as a vegetable, in dried health tea products and in health food products. Spectroscopic data suggeste d that there were at least two cardiac glycosides in C. olitorius seed .