Abstract
The ramp (Allium tricoccum) is a traditional plant in the eastern Appalachian Mountains. Ramps have been used in traditional medicine for their health-promoting roles in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Information on the chemical composition of the potentially bioactive components in ramps is limited. Therefore, the aim of this work was to characterize and quantify major flavonols in ramps. Flavonoids were extracted in 50% methanol and 3% acetic acid. Characterization was conducted using UHPLC-PDA-MS and MS/MS, and quantification was performed using UHPLC-PDA detection. The major flavonol glycosides were kaempferol sophoroside glucuronide, quercetin sophoroside glucuronide, kaempferol rutinoside glucuronide, quercetin hexoside glucuronide, quercetin sophoroside, and kaempferol sophoroside. All conjugates were detected in leaves. Quercetin and kaempferol sophoroside glucuronide conjugates were detected in the stem, but no flavonol glycosides were detected in the bulb. The total amounts of the identified quercetin and kaempferol conjugates in whole ramps were 0.5972 ± 0.235 and 0.3792 ± 0.130 mg/g dry weight, respectively. Flavonol conjugates were concentrated in the leaves. To our knowledge, this work is the first to identify and quantify the major flavonol glycosides in ramps. Our findings suggest that specifically the leaves may harbor the potentially bioactive flavonols components of the plant.
Highlights
Allium tricoccum Aiton, commonly known as ramps or wild leeks, is a spring perennial plant belonging to the Liliaceae family
We found that the two major flavonols in ramps were quercetin and kaempferol conjugates
We found that the major flavonol backbones in ramps were quercetin and kaempferol, which is consistent with the flavonol content reported in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Summary
Allium tricoccum Aiton, commonly known as ramps or wild leeks, is a spring perennial plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. Ramps are the first green plants to sprout in rich, moist, shady woods from late March to early May [3]. The mature ramp is a bulb-forming plant with green leaves, white bulbs, and purple or unpigmented stems depending on the variety [4]. There are two varieties of ramps, A. tricoccum var. The triccocum variety is dominant in the southern Appalachian mountains and has a purple stem and larger leaves than the burdickii variety [3]. The burdickii variety is more common in the northern mountains and has narrower leaves with an unpigmented stem [3]
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