Development of a rapid method for determination of lignans content in sesame oil

Abstract

A spectrophotometric method for the rapid estimation of total lignans present in sesame oil was developed based on ultraviolet (UV) absorption and specific extinction (E1% 1cm) value of sesamin and sesamol. The E1% 1cm value obtained at characteristic UV absorbance of reference standards sesamin (λ max at 288 nm) and sesamol (λ max at 297 nm) was used to calculate the amount of lignans in sesame oil. The E1% 1cm value of 230.1 for sesamol at 288 nm in hexane-chloroform (7:3, v/v) was similar to that of sesamin and hence these were used for development of UV absorption method for quantitation of lignans content in sesame oils. HPLC analysis confirmed and correlated well (r = 0.99) with the results obtained by the UV absorption method developed in the present study. UV method developed in the present study could be used for the rapid estimation of lignans in sesame oils on a routine basis and would be of great help to sesame oil industries in monitoring their oil quality.