Carotenoid content in vegetative and reproductive parts of commercially grown Moringa oleifera Lam. cultivars from India by LC–APCI–MS.

quantification of carotenoids from plants. In
this regard, six major carotenoids, i.e. all-E-luteoxanthin,
13-Z-lutein, all-E-lutein, all-E-zeaxanthin, 15-Z-β-
carotene and all-E-β-carotene, were purified using opencolumn
chromatography and thin-layer chromatography.
Using these purified standards, carotenoids from fresh
leaves, flowers and fruits of eight commercially grown
cultivars of Moringa oleifera were quantified by liquid
chromatography–mass spectrometry. All-E-lutein was
found as the major carotenoid in leaves and fruits and
accounted for 53.6 and 52.0 % of the total carotenoids,
respectively. Among the eight cultivars screened, the
cultivar Bhagya (KDM-1) had the maximum amount of
all-E-zeaxanthin, all-E-β-carotene and total carotenoids.
The methodology used in the present investigation for
purification and quantification of carotenoids is simplified
and hence finds use in screening of carotenoids in
other plants. Results also explore the M. oleifera leaves
as a rich source of carotenoids, which is significant for its
implications in malnutrition programme to alleviate the
vitamin A deficiency.