10.7.4 Fatty Acids
Fatty acids are also found in plant origin. Evening primrose oil, obtained from dried
seeds of Oenothera biennis, contains 9% unsaturated fatty acid called c-linoleic
acid. It is useful as a prostaglandin precursor and to control the severity of the
premenstrual syndrome and for the treatment of eczema (Kokate et al. 2005; Wallis
2005). The sources and structures of saturated fatty acids, as well as unsaturated
fatty acids derived from plants, are depicted as follows (Tables 10.7 and 10.8):
10.8 Glycosides
Glycosides are widely available in plant kingdom throughout the world and become
the largest group of secondary plant metabolites. Glycosides contain a sugar part
called as glycone and a non-sugar part known as aglycone. Chemically glycosides
are acetal which is formed by condensation between the hydroxyl group of glycone
(exists as hemiacetal) and another hydroxyl group of aglycone part. The sugar part
attached to glycosides is either a monosaccharide such as glucose, mannose,
rhamnose, etc., or deoxy sugar such as cymarose, digitoxose, etc. One or more
number of monosaccharides molecules are attached to the aglycone moiety.
Aglycone moiety includes a wide variety of chemical classes such as anthraquinone, steroid, coumarin, chromone, cyanogenic, flavonoid, phenolic, saponins,
aldehyde, etc., which is discussed above of this chapter. On acid or enzymatic
Table 10.7 The sources and structures of saturated fatty acids derived from plants
Saturated fatty acid (IUPAC name)
Natural source
Chemical structure
Butyric acid (Butanoic acid)
Butter fat, Cow’s milk
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 2 COOH
Caproic acid (Hexanoic acid)
Palm kernel oil, butter
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 4 COOH
Caprylic acid (Octanoic acid)
Coconut oil, palm oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 6 COOH
Capric acid (Decanoic acid)
Palm oil, coconut oil, milk
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 8 COOH
Lauric acid Dodecanoic acid)
Coconut oil, palm oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 10 COOH
Myristic acid (Tetradecanoic acid)
Palm oil, milk fat
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 12 COOH
Palmitic acid (Hexadecanoic acid)
Sesame oil, Arachis oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 14 COOH
Stearic acid (Octadecanoic acid
Arachis oil, Sesame oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 16 COOH
Arachidic acid (Eicosanoic acid)
Peanut oil, Mustard oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 18 COOH
Behenic acid (Docosanoic acid)
Peanut oil, Rapeseed oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 20 COOH
Lignoceric acid (Tetracosanoic acid)
Peanut oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 22 COOH
Cerotic acid (Hexacosanoic acid)
Bees wax, Carnauba wax
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 24 COOH
Montanic acid (Octacosanoic acid)
Fruit skin, bees wax
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 26 COOH
Melissic acid (Triacontanoic acid)
Cotton wax
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 28 COOH
370
C. C. Kandar
Fatty acids are also found in plant origin. Evening primrose oil, obtained from dried
seeds of Oenothera biennis, contains 9% unsaturated fatty acid called c-linoleic
acid. It is useful as a prostaglandin precursor and to control the severity of the
premenstrual syndrome and for the treatment of eczema (Kokate et al. 2005; Wallis
2005). The sources and structures of saturated fatty acids, as well as unsaturated
fatty acids derived from plants, are depicted as follows (Tables 10.7 and 10.8):
10.8 Glycosides
Glycosides are widely available in plant kingdom throughout the world and become
the largest group of secondary plant metabolites. Glycosides contain a sugar part
called as glycone and a non-sugar part known as aglycone. Chemically glycosides
are acetal which is formed by condensation between the hydroxyl group of glycone
(exists as hemiacetal) and another hydroxyl group of aglycone part. The sugar part
attached to glycosides is either a monosaccharide such as glucose, mannose,
rhamnose, etc., or deoxy sugar such as cymarose, digitoxose, etc. One or more
number of monosaccharides molecules are attached to the aglycone moiety.
Aglycone moiety includes a wide variety of chemical classes such as anthraquinone, steroid, coumarin, chromone, cyanogenic, flavonoid, phenolic, saponins,
aldehyde, etc., which is discussed above of this chapter. On acid or enzymatic
Table 10.7 The sources and structures of saturated fatty acids derived from plants
Saturated fatty acid (IUPAC name)
Natural source
Chemical structure
Butyric acid (Butanoic acid)
Butter fat, Cow’s milk
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 2 COOH
Caproic acid (Hexanoic acid)
Palm kernel oil, butter
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 4 COOH
Caprylic acid (Octanoic acid)
Coconut oil, palm oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 6 COOH
Capric acid (Decanoic acid)
Palm oil, coconut oil, milk
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 8 COOH
Lauric acid Dodecanoic acid)
Coconut oil, palm oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 10 COOH
Myristic acid (Tetradecanoic acid)
Palm oil, milk fat
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 12 COOH
Palmitic acid (Hexadecanoic acid)
Sesame oil, Arachis oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 14 COOH
Stearic acid (Octadecanoic acid
Arachis oil, Sesame oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 16 COOH
Arachidic acid (Eicosanoic acid)
Peanut oil, Mustard oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 18 COOH
Behenic acid (Docosanoic acid)
Peanut oil, Rapeseed oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 20 COOH
Lignoceric acid (Tetracosanoic acid)
Peanut oil
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 22 COOH
Cerotic acid (Hexacosanoic acid)
Bees wax, Carnauba wax
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 24 COOH
Montanic acid (Octacosanoic acid)
Fruit skin, bees wax
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 26 COOH
Melissic acid (Triacontanoic acid)
Cotton wax
CH 3 ðCH 2 Þ 28 COOH
370
C. C. Kandar