PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF THYMELEA HIRSUTA

Abstract

1. The unsaponifiable matter of the lipids of Thymelea hirsuta was investigated and the following substances were separated:

   • a) Hydrocarbon fraction, proved by GLC and MS analyses to be a mixture of n–C₂₇, n–C₂₈, n–C₂₉, n–C₃₀ and n–C₃₁. Separation of the individual n-alkanes was achieved by preparative GLC.

   • b) Two alcohol fractions, proved by GLC and MS to be mixtures of octacosanol, hexacosanol, tetracosanol and docosanol. One of the two fractions corresponds to that previously reported as an unidentified aliphatic alcohol.

   • c) A sterol, m.p. 136–137° C, identified by GLC and MS to be mainly β-sitosterol (94 %), with small amount of campesterol (6 %).

2. Stigmasterol, reported by previous other authors, to occur in Thymelea hirsuta was not detected. Its absence was proved by IR, GLC and MS.

3. The study of the fatty acids by GLC revealed the presence of myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and archidic acids.