Lactuca sativa Stems as the Source of Bioactive Compounds as well as the Leaves

The stems of Lactuca sativa L. are usually not popular as the leaves in preparing the salads and therefore thrown away. The work is intended to compare the phytoconstituents of the leaves and stems extracts. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is applied for the petroleum ether extracts of the leaf and the stem of the selected varieties (L. sativa var. longifolia L. and L. sativa var. capitata L.). A total of fifty-eight compounds were identified and quantified from the studied extracts. These compounds have belonged to various categories such as fatty acid, volatile compounds, phytosterols, triterpenes, diterpenes, vitamin E isomers, and others. Triterpenes with phytosterols represented the superior percentage among other categories. Diterpenes were quantified only in the leaves of the studied varieties. The stems exhibited a higher percentage of phytosterols, triterpenes, and volatile compounds rather than the leaves of each variety.