The chemical composition of the volatile oil of avocado leaves fromMexican race (Persea americana Mill) grown in the highlands of Mexico was investigated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Thirty compounds were identified accounting for 92.45% of the oil. Estrago1 (78.12%), a-cubebene (3.58%), methyl eugenol (3.37%) and B-caryophyllene (2.10%) were the major components representing more than 87%. The oil has a characteristic aroma similar to anise-tobacco.
In the search for new potently sweet compounds from plants, the rapid identification and quantification of free sugars and polyols in a crude plant extract is important for dereplication purposes, wherein compounds of known structure or biological activity are removed from further consideration. Accordingly, plants found to have high levels of free sugars and polyols are regarded as lower priority leads when screening for novel natural sweeteners. In the present study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to examine the sugar/polyol content of six sweet-tasting species, comprised of the pericarp of Dialium indum L. (Leguminosae), the stem of Drypetes floribunda Hutchinson (Euphorbiaceae), the fruit of Hymenaea oblongifolia Huber var. palustris (Ducke) Lee and Langenheim (Leguminosae), the rhizomes of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauvois (Gramineae), the fruit of Manilkara zapota (L.) van Royen (Sapotaceae), and the pericarp of Sapindus rarak DC. (Sapindaceae). The total yields of sugars/polyols in these plant parts were 1.9, 6.1, 7.8, 4.5, 10.8 and 2.9% w/w, respectively. Several uncommon polyols were identified, including bornesitol in D. floribunda and quebrachitol in S. rarak. It is likely that the sweet taste of the plants containing more than 5% of sugars/polyols is imparted as a result of the high free sugar and/or polyol content. Owing to its low level of free sugars, S. rarak pericarp was chosen for further study, and the known sesquiterpene glycoside mukurozioside IIb (1) was isolated in high yield (6.3% w/w) as a sweet-tasting constituent. Preliminary evaluations, comprised of mouse acute toxicity and bacterial mutagenesis determinations, indicated the safety of 1. The compound was subsequently rated by a human taste panel as having about the same sweetness potency as sucrose.
Volatile constituents of guava leaves were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction and analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 17 compounds accounting for 86.1% of the aroma were identified. a-Selinene (23.7%), 8-caryophyllene (18.8%) and 8-selinene (18.3%) were the major compounds identified. The volatile fraction was rich in sesquiterpene compounds.
Fatty acids from oils extracted from three seed coat phenotypes of Mexican stone pines (Pinus cembroides Zuc) growing in the central region of Veracruz State, Mexico, consisted of lauric (048 YO), myristic (34-9.1 %), palmitic (64-7-8 YO), stearic (3.1-5.5 YO), oleic (36747.2 %) and linoleic (32.9-44.5 YO) acids. The differences between the phenotypes studied were statistically significant in their levels of myristic, oleic and linoleic acids.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.