Straight-chain unsaturated fatty acids and cyclopentenyl fatty acids in leaf lipids of Caloncoba echinata and Hydnocarpus anthelminthica

Abstract

The total lipids in leaves of Caloncoba echinata and Hydnocarpus anthelminthica exhibited consistent fatty acid patterns with palmitic, linoleic and α-linolenic acids being the major acids. Small amounts of cyclopentenyl fatty acids were found in C. echinata (4.4%) and in H. anthelminthica (0.5-1.5%). Analyses of the constituent fatty acids of individual lipid classes showed cyclopentenyl fatty acids to be present mainly in triglycerides and as free fatty acids. The major lipids in the two species were monogalactosyl diglycerides, digalactosyl diglycerides and phosphatidyl cholines. The straight-chain monounsaturated fatty acids consisted mainly of Δ-9 isomers, whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acids belonged exclusively to the Δ-9 series. There was no structural relationship between the straight-chain unsaturated acids and the cyclopentenyl acids. © 1975.