Chemical Studies of Fatty Oil of Terminalia chebula Seeds Kernels

Abstract

The Terminalia chebula fruit kernel oil, constituents of methyl ester derivatives of fatty acids were analyzed using gas chromatography. The results obtained contain saturated (04), as well as unsaturated (02) fatty acids of T. chebula oils. The fatty oil content obtained from the seeds kernels of T. chebula was found to be (37.37-44.91 %) averaging (41.14 %) on moisture free basis. GLC analysis of methyl esters of the fatty acids obtained from the fatty oil after its hydrolysis followed by esterification with methanol/sulphuric acid indicated the presence of eight compounds of which six were identified. The fatty acid composition Table 2 indicated that linoleic acid (39.2 %) is the major constituent of the oil followed by oleic acid (38.5 %), palmitic acid (18.4 %), stearic acid (2.7 %), arachidic acid (0.7 %), behenic acid (0.2 %), and lipids. Due to the presence of a high percentage of valuable analytes in T. chebula, there is an increased importance in its use in pharmaceuticals, as well as its applications in the new formulations for various skin diseases to prevent and cure different infections.