Chemical characterization of Cleome dolichostyla seed oil

Abstract

Oil extracted from C. dolichostyla seeds constituted 31·2% of the whole seed. Results of the physical and chemical analyses of the oil for iodine number, saponification number, Hehner value, Reichert-Meissl number and refractive index compared well with the characteristics of other commonly consumed vegetable oils. Thin-layer chromatography, in conjunction with gas-liquid chromatography, revealed a relatively high degree of unsaturation, 84·1%, with a linoleic acid content of 52·2 followed by oleic, 30·6%; palmitic, 10·1%; stearic, 4·49% and linolenic, 1·17%. Based on these data, C. dolichostyla seed oil might have potential as an edible oil for human and/or animal consumption. However, toxicity studies on the safety of this oil are still needed. © 1984.