Abstract:
Ximenia americana tree, family Olecaceae is widely distributed in the
tropical, subtropical, savanna rich and poor region in Africa, Asia, south
America, north America and Europe. The tree used in traditional medicine
for fever, headaches, eye lotion and cold.
In this study some the fixed oil was extracted from the seeds of X.
americana by solvent extraction technique (soxhlet). The study covers the
percentage yield, physical and chemical properties of the oil were studied.
The highest oil yield obtained was 51% w/v. The physical properties of the
oil were, found to be refractive index (1.477), density (0.937), boiling
point (157 oC) and the viscosity can be measured as 42 at 70 oC and 227.58
at 25oC. The chemical properties of the oil were: iodine value (47.59), acid
value (0.2805), peroxide value (30), saponification value (11.43), ester
value (9.82), and the ratio value (35) and molecular weight of 604 and
composed of C40H76O3. The major component of the oil was tentatively
identified as 14,14 – Dimethyl – 18 – hydroxy octatriocontanoleic.
The results of the study showed that; the oil has high viscosity and low
rancidity, but on the other hand the study reveal that the oil is not edible oil
because it contains amount of tea seed oil and high peroxide value.
A modification of the general extraction technique used to isolate some
compounds from the seed coat (fruit pulp) of the plant origin has been
devised. Accordingly, three compounds (designated R1, R2 and R3 ) were
isolated, and purified using column and thin – layer chromatography.
Further spectroscopic analysis using MS and H 1- NMR for compound R1
indicate that it has a molecular weight of 578 and has a molecular formula
of C35 H62 O6. Compound R1 was tentatively identified as4– Methyl – 28,29
– dihydroxy butatriocontaneic acid. Compounds R2 and R3 was isolated in
meager amounts that could not be subjected to further studies.
Phytochemical screening and thin – layer chromatographic study of these
compounds showed that, all these compounds have the same behavior and
belong to the class of hydroxy unsaturated acids.
