Analysis of the Water Soluble Fraction from the Roots of Harpagophytum procumbens

Abstract

The monosaccharides glucose, galactose, fructose, myo-inositol and the oligosaccharides sucrose, raffinose and stachyose were identified and determined to be the main constituents of the water extract of the dried roots of Harpagophytum procumbens DC.

Stachyose was shown to be present as the predominant sugar with as much as 46 % of the dried plant material. No water soluble high molecular weight polysaccharides, however, could be detected. Several amino acids were analyzed in the basic fraction.