IDENTIFICATION OF CONJUGATED TRIENE FATTY ACIDS IN CERTAIN SEED OILS

Seed oils were hydrolyzed under mild conditions and the major conjugated fatty acid of each oil was isolated and identified. In two families, species which were closely related botanically contained different but isomeric acids. Thus, in the Bignoniaceae, Jacaranda chelonia had cis trans,cis-8,10,12-octadecatrienoic acid as a major acid while Catalpa speciosa had trans,trans,cis-9,11,13-octadecatrienoic acid. In the Cucurbitaceae, Momordica charantia had the ordinary cis,trans,trans-9,11,13-octadecatrienoic (α-eleostearic) acid while M. balsamina had cis,trans,cis-9,11,13-octadecatrienoic (punicic) acid. M. balsamina is a new and convenient source of punicic acid. α-Eleostearic acid was identified as a major acid in examples of Valerianaceae and Rosaceae. Further proof was obtained that the fatty acid of Calendula officinalis (Compositae) is trans,trans,cis-8,10,12-octadecatrienoic acid.