Characterization of naturally occurring α-hydroxylinolenic acid

Abstract

The seed oil ofThymus vulgaris L. (Labiatae) contains 13% of a new unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid which has been characterized as α-hydroxylinolenic acid. This oil also contains the previously unknown norlinolenic (all-cis-8,11,14-heptadecatrienoic) acid (2%) and linolenic acid (55%). The co-occurrence of these three acids suggests that the C17 acid is biosynthesized by α-oxidation of linolenic acid.