Abstract
Two lipid fractions ‘A’ and ‘B’ were isolated from Sapindus mukorossi seed oil by preparative TLC. Fraction ‘A’ (70.4%, R~f~ value 0.76) is a normal triglyceride and its fatty acid compositions was determined by GLC. Fraction ‘B’ (29.6%, R~f~ value 0.51) shows the presence of nitrogenous constituents. It develops a reddish brown colour in contact with alkali or alkoxide solution. Percentages of individual acids present in fraction ‘A’ were found to be: palmitic, 5.5; stearic, 3.2; oleic, 64.6; linoleic, 2.9; arachidic, 3.1; eicosenoic, 20.1; minor acids, 0.6. Fraction ‘A’ is composed of 0.1,3.6,29.9 and 66.4 percent trisaturated, monounsaturated‐disaturated, diunsaturated‐monosaturated and triunsaturated glycerides respectively. On GLC analysis, the percentages of individual acids constituting fraction ‘B’ were found to be:palmitic, 3.8; stearic, 1.5; oleic, 33.6; linoleic, 2.9; arachidic, 11.1; eicosenoic, 30.2; behenic, 2.8; docosenoic, 1.4 and two unidentified acids 7.3 and 5.4. Fraction ‘B’ responded to hydrolysis by pancreatic lipase and the product with polarity equivalent to that of 2‐mono‐glyceride was isolated by TLC and converted to methyl ester. Percentages of individual acids constituting that methyl esters were found to be:palmitic, 11.8; stearic, 4.1; oleic, 12.8; linoleic, 3.7; arachidic, 8.3; eicosenoic, 10.2; behenic, 6.5; docosenoic, 4.2; and two unidentified acids 22.2 and 16.2. This non‐glyceridic component of the S. mukorossi seed oil is a cyanolipid, 1‐cyano‐2‐hydroxymethyl prop‐1‐ene‐3‐ol. The structure was confirmed by I. R., N.M.R. and Mass spectral‐analysis.