Sterol lipids in finger millet (Eleusine coracana).

Abstract

AbstractNeutral lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids (1.3%, 0.25%, and 0.10% of seed weight) were isolated from the total lipids (chloroform‐methanol) of finger millet seeds(Eleusine coracana), and four sterol‐containing lipids further isolated from neutral and glycolipids by preparative column and thin layer chromatography. On seed weight, these comprised: free sterols (S) 0.091%, sterol esters (SE) 0.013%, sterol glycosides (SG) 0.025%, acyl sterol glycosides (ASG) 0.020%, and total 0.149%. The major fatty acids, totaling 85–90%, were the same in both esterified sterols, but the proportions varied: 16:0, 18:1, and 18:2 comprising 24, 49, and 17% in SE (calculated iodine value 75) and 43, 36, and 7% in ASG (calculated iodine value 46). All four sterol lipids contained 80–84% of β‐sitosterol, the remainder being stigmasterol. The only sugar in SG and ASG was D‐glucose. It is deduced that the major representative species are: SE, β‐sitosterol oleate/palmitate; SG, β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(l → 3)‐β‐sitosterol; and ASG, 6–0‐palmitoyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(l → 3)‐β‐sitosterol.