Phytochemical Study of Ximenia Americana. L Seeds

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.