Policosanol profiling and classification of 24 commonly consumed leafy vegetables using GC-MS/MS: Coastal hog's...

Policosanol (PC) is a mixture of long-chain aliphatic alcohols recognized as health-promoting components. In this study, we determined the contents and compositions of PCs in 24 leafy vegetables using a validated GC-MS/MS method. The PC contents varied significantly across the vegetables, ranging from 22 to 2922 mg/kg. Notably, coastal hog fennel leaf was identified as the richest dietary source of policosanols, with a total PC content of 2922 mg/kg. The composition of PCs also differed markedly among the vegetables. Coastal hog fennel primarily contained C26-OH and C28-OH as the dominant PC types. The vegetables displayed distinct clustering into five classes based on their PC profiles. A daily intake of just 3.5 g of coastal hog fennel could potentially meet the effective dosage of PC for health benefit functionality. This study underscores a novel viewpoint on the possible health advantages associated with PCs of the leafy vegetables.