CURUPIRA-TEFEENSIS (OLACACEAE) - A RICH SOURCE OF VERY LONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS

Abstract

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of Curupira tefeensis was analysed by capillary GC of their methyl esters. The gaschromatographic assignments were ensured by corresponding mass spectra. The oil is composed to more than 62% of very long chain fatty acids (>C18). Erucic acid is found to be the main component (35%). The position of the double bonds of the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAME) was verified after derivatization with dimethyl disulfide and subsequent GC/MS analysis. All identified MUFAME belong to the (n-9-)type. The UV-spectroscopical data show that approx. 1.2% conjugated acetylenic fatty acids occur in the oil. Furthermore IR- and NMR-spectroscopical investigations and the basic analyses of the seed were carried out.