Abstract:

Aiming at exploring the components of the pigment extracted from Dioscorea Cirrhosa roots, the gel column chromatography was used to separate the pigment, and two main types of components were obtained: dark brown pigment and milky white substance. Diagnose reagents reactions, UV-VIS spectra, infrared absorption spectra and MALDI-TOF mass spectra of the products were analyzed. The results showed that the dominant ingredient of the pigment was condensed tannins, which were procyanidin polymers below tetramer.  The main ingredient of the milky white substance was polysaccharide, which contained pectin and starch rather than protein. The Vanillin-hydrochloric acid method and phenol-sulfuric acid method were used to quantify the content of tannins and polysaccharide of pigment from Dioscorea Cirrhosa roots, and the results showed that the average contents of the both were 47.7% and 10.2%, respectively.

Key words: Dioscorea Cirrhosa, pigment, milky white substance, condensed tannins, polysaccharide