Identification and quantification of anthocyanins in purple-fleshed sweet potato leaves

As phytochemical-enriched edible greens, sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) leaves have become popular. However, the profile and content of phytochemicals in sweet potato leaves are mostly unknown. We previously bred a purple-fleshed sweet potato P40 that demonstrated cancer prevention due to high levels of anthocyanins in the tuberous roots. The objectives of this study were to identify and quantify anthocyanins in P40 leaves when compared with the white-fleshed Bonita and orange-fleshed Beauregard. The mature leaves of P40 at 6-week vine stage were collected and extracted for anthocyanin analysis by HPLC-MS/MS. Fourteen anthocyanins, including a novel anthocyanin (peonidin 3-caffeoyl-p-coumaryl sophoroside-5-glucoside), were identified and quantitated. The contents of anthocyanins in P40 leaves (32.7 ± 2.9 mg/kg DW) were much lower than that in the root (13,100 ± 70 mg/kg DW). Furthermore, anthocyanin contents in P40 leaves were even lesser than those of the orange-fleshed Beauregard (334 ± 60.9 mg/kg DW) and white-fleshed Bonita (563 ± 50.4 mg/kg DW). Total phenolic contents as measured by Folin-Ciocalteu were 36.8 ± 4.8 mg GAE/g DW in the leaves of P40, but 41.2 ± 5.0 mg GAE/g DW in Beauregard and 46.7 ± 2.1 mg GAE/g DW in Bonita. No anthocyanin was detectable in the stem of these three sweet potato varieties. Taken together, this study reports for the first time the profile and content of anthocyanins in the leaves of three sweet potato varieties with a new anthocyanin identified. The unexpected lower levels of anthocyanins in the purple-fleshed sweet potato leaves when compared with either the counterpart tuberous roots or the control white-fleshed and orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties advanced our existing knowledge and also validated a diverse phenotype of anthocyanin biosynthesis between sweet potato leaves and roots.