Steroid and Fatty Acid Contents from the Leaves of Carica Papaya

Aim: To extract and identify the non-polar entities from the leaves of Carica papaya, a plant used for medicinal purpose as folk medicine.Materials and methods: Petroleum ether extract of the Carica papaya leaves was used for this study. Saponification process and methylation process was performed to separate fatty acids and unsaponifiable matters. Phytochemical constituents were separated using chemical process and separated fractions were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS).Results: The chemical composition of the steroids, triterpenoids and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in leaves of Carica papaya, which were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). A total of 15 fatty acid components were identified in saponifiable matter, from unsaponifiable portion 2 steroids (campesterol, β- or γ-sitosterol), 1 triterpene (squalene), and 1 diterpene (phytol) were identified.Conclusions: The results indicate that the extract is rich in non-polar compounds. In this study, GC-MS method is at the central focus for identification of these phytoconstituents. The current method can be used for direct analysis of non-polar entities of plant material.

Fatty acid and chemical composition of the seed and the oil obtained from marolo fruit (Annona crassiflora Mart.)

The addition of values to native fruits through studies that enable the various ways of harnessing them becomes an important strategy in the preservation process. In this sense the objective of this study was the physical and chemical characterization of the seed (peel, seeds, and pulp) as well as its oil derived from marolo fruit (Annona crassiflora Mart.) The analyses proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity, vitamin C concentration, total carotenoids, β–carotenes, iodine index, peroxide index, refraction, saponification, saponifiable matter, fatty acid profile, water activity, color, and rheology were studied. The peel of marolo seed was proved to be rich in carbohydrates, antioxidant substances and vitamin C. The seeds, in turn, presented high content of lipid, proteins and vitamin C. The oil extracted from marolo seed presented low refraction index, peroxides index, and unsaponifiable matter, besides a high content of vitamin C and unsaturated fatty acid compared with soybean oil, in addition to the presence of antioxidant compounds. Through the study, the feasibility of using by-products from processing of marolo seeds as a source of oils with high nutritional content was concluded.

USE OF LIVER HOMOGENATES FOR STUDIES ON THE INTRACELLULAR SITE OF UBIQUINONE BIOSYNTHESIS

Mevalonic acid was incorporated into the ubiquinone and sterol fractions of rat-liver homogenates. The incorporation of mevalonate was increased approximately 10-fold in the total non-saponifiable matter including sterol by use of the in vitro homogenate system as compared with intact rats. The incorporation into the ubiquinones was decreased. The addition of potential ring precursors, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, L-phenylalanine, or L-tyrosine to the homogenate system did not increase incorporation of mevalonate into ubiquinone.Incubation of subcellular fractions from rat-liver homogenates demonstrated that supernate plus either mitochondria or microsomes were necessary for the biosynthesis of ubiquinone.