Relationship between cardiac glycoside contents and color of Corchorus olitorius seeds

Abstract

The relationship between the cardiac glycoside contents in Corchorus olitorius seeds and the seed color was examined. The seed color was assigned a shade (color value) (L value in UCS system). The dark grayish green seeds, showing lower L value, contained more cardiac glycosides than dark grayish yellow seeds showing higher L value. When the total cardiac glycoside contents were plotted against the L values, a positive correlation (r = -0.913) was observed. Also, there was a higher content ratio of strophanthidin glycosides (erysimoside and olitoriside) in the seeds showing lower L value, while there was a lower content ratio of digitoxigenin glycosides (coroloside and glucoevatromonoside) in the seeds showing lower L value.