Analyses of the phospholipids of palash (Butea monosperma), papaya (Carica papaya), jangli badam (Sterculia foetida), coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and carrot (Daucus carota) seeds are reported in the present study. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol were identified as major components in all the seeds. Small amounts of lysophosphatidylcholine in palash and papaya, and cardiolipin in palash, papaya and carrot also were detected. The predominant fatty acids present in the total and individual phospholipids of the seeds examined were oleic, linoleic and palmitic. In the case of palash and papaya phospholipids, the profile of fatty acid distribution was similar to that of their respective oils. However, the unusual fatty acids present predominantly in jangli badam, coriander and carrot oils were found to be significantly reduced in the respective phospholipids.Non-conventional oilseeds are now being considered as potential raw materials to augment the supply of edible oils. The study of these oilseeds for their minor constituents is useful in order to use both the oil and the minor constituents effectively. The information on phospholipids of these seeds is also important in processing and utilizing the oil and by-products (1-2}. In continuation of our earlier studies on seed phospholipids, the present study pertains to analysis of phospholipids of five seeds, namely palash (Butea monosperma), papaya (Carica papaya), jangli badam (Sterculia foetida), coriander (Coriandrum sativum} and carrot (Daucus carota) which belong to the Leguminosae, Caricaceae, Sterculiaceae and Umbelliferae families, respectively. The chemical characteristics and fatty acid composition of these seed oils were reported earlier by several authors {3-10}.
EXPERIMENTALMaterials. Papaya, coriander and carrot seeds were purchased from the local market. Jangli badam and palash kernels were collected from the local area. Reagents and chemicals used were of analytical grade (BDH and Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited, India}. Silica gel (finer than 200 mesh} for column chromatography and silica gel-G for thin layer chromatography were obtained from Acme Synthetic Chemicals, India. Lysophosphatidylcholine (egg yolk}, phosphatidylinositol (soybean} and cardiolipin {bovine heart} were purchased from Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, Missouri, and TLC-pure phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were isolated from egg yolk.Methods: Extraction of phospholipids. Seeds (or kernels, 500 g) were powdered and extracted at room temperature with a mixture of chloroform and methanol (2:1, v/v} according to the procedure of Folch et al. ill}. Acetone insolubles were obtained by repeated acetone precipitation of the total lipid extract (12}. Pure phospholipids were separated from acetone-insoluble material by silica gel column chromatography (13) by using the following sequence of solvents: (i) chloroform, (ii} acetone, and (iii) methanol. The neutral lipids were eluted in chloroform, glycolipids in acetone and ...