Table 2. Composition of A. americana and A. tequilana leaves.
| A. americana (% w/w) | A. tequilana (% w/w) | |
|---|---|---|
| Soluble extracts | 55.5 ± 2.9 | 45.8 ± 2.5 |
| *WSC | 9.1 ± 5.9 | 15.3 ± 3.0 |
| Glucose | 13.5 ± 3.6 | 4.6 ± 0.8 |
| Fructose | 7.8 ± 1.4 | 2.8 ± 0.6 |
| Fructan | 3.4 ± 2.5 | 4.9 ± 2.5 |
| Sucrose | 4.4 ± 0.5 | 3.0 ± 1.1 |
| *Polysaccharides | 4.0 ± 0.2 | 12.6 ± 1.1 |
| Hydrolyzed monosaccharides | 2.2 ± 0.3 | 2.4 ± 0.2 |
| Ethanol-insoluble (pectin-enriched) | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 10.2 ± 1.1 |
| *Ethanol-soluble monosaccharides | 6.0 ± 1.6 | 1.3 ± 0.2 |
| Ash (non-structural inorganics) | 6.4 ± 1.4 | 15.1 ± 1.6 |
| Other | 10.0 | 1.5 |
| Insoluble components | 44.5 ± 2.9 | 54.1 ± 2.5 |
| *Monosaccharides | 21.3 ± 1.7 | 26.1 ± 3.6 |
| Glucose | 12.0 ± 1.8 | 16.4 ± 2.3 |
| ^Starch | 5.7 ± 1.4 | 1.4 ± 0.3 |
| Xylose | 2.9 ± 0.7 | 4.4 ± 0.7 |
| Galacturonic acid | 2.8 ± 0.2 | 3.1 ± 0.7 |
| Galactose | 2.7 ± 0.6 | 1.4 ± 0.1 |
| Arabinose | 0.9 ± 0.1 | 0.8 ± 0.1 |
| Lignin | 9.3 ± 0.9 | 12.7 ± 1.1 |
| Acid-insoluble | 5.3 ± 1.0 | 9.1 ± 1.4 |
| Acid-soluble | 4.0 ± 0.7 | 3.6 ± 0.3 |
| Protein | 6.2 ± 2.0 | 5.8 ± 0.7 |
| Acetate groups | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 |
| Ash (structural inorganics) | 2.1 ± 1.0 | 5.5 ± 1.1 |
| Other | 4.6 | 3.3 |
The soluble extracts and insoluble residue, comprising structural carbohydrates and other cell wall components, were quantified (n = 6). Data are presented as percentage of dry weight (% w/w).
* indicates the values used to calculate total sugar content: 60.4% w/w for A. americana and 55.3% w/w for A. tequilana. Italics indicate values derived from calculation rather than direct measurement.
^Indicates values (starch) which were not included in the mass balance. Components of ‘Other’ (otherwise unaccounted for mass) are likely to be lipids and waxes in the soluble fraction or unhydrolyzed crystalline cellulose and pectin in the insoluble fraction.