Phytosterol screening of skin and seed extracts of wild grape ampelocissus martinii planch

Abstract

Reports on phytosterol in wild grape, Ampelocissus martinii Planch fruits are rarely available world wide. We have investigated the total triterpenoid content (TTC) and total sterol content (TSC) in skin and seed extracts from different growth stages of wild grape fruits using a spectrophotometric assay. In addition, we analyzed some free sterols using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mature fruit showed the highest content of TTC in both the skin and seed extracts. The TSC content was found the highest from skin extract in the ripe stage. The two most common phytosterols found were stig masterol and ß-sitosterol. The stig masterol content was found the highest in the skin extract of the immature, while ß-sitosterol was found in the seed extract of the ripe fruits. This work indicated that the skin and seed of wild grape fruits might be new sources of phytosterol.