FATTY-ACID AND TRIGLYCERIDE COMPOSITION OF SEEDS FROM 5 TREES OF GABON FOREST

Abstract

The seeds of Baillonella toxisperma (B.t), Irvingia gabonensis (I.g), Poga oleosa (P.o), Ricinodendron heudelotti (R.h) and Scyphocephalium ochocoa (S.o.) were hexane extracted. The extracts which appeared at room temperature as a white solid for I.g and S.o, an oil for P.o and R.h, an oil with a suspended solid for B.t., were mainly composed of triglycerides. The triglycerides were analyzed by HPLC and the fatty acids identified as FAME by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. The main acids were : lauric and myristic acids for I.g and S.o ; palmitic, stearic and oleic acids, the last being the most abundant for B.t ; oleic and linoleic acids with a major contribution of C18:1 for P.o ; linoleic. alpha and beta eleostearic acids for R.h.