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Profiling of Phytosterols, Tocopherols and Tocotrienols in Selected Seed Oils from Botswana by GC–MS and HPLC

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Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

The phytosterol, tocopherol, and tocotrienol profiles for mkukubuyo, Sterculia africana, manketti, Ricinodendron rautanenni, mokolwane, Hyphaene petersiana, morama, Tylosema esculentum, and moretologa-kgomo, Ximenia caffra, seed oils from Botswana have been determined. Normal-phase HPLC analysis of the unsaponifiable matter showed that among the selected oils, the most abundant tocopherol and tocotrienol were γ-tocopherol (2232.99 μg/g) and γ-tocotrienol (246.19 μg/g), detected in manketti and mkukubuyo, respectively. Mokolwane oil, however, contained the largest total tocotrienol (258.47 μg/g). Total tocol contents found in manketti, mokolwane, mkukubuyo, morama, and moretologa-kgomo oils were 2238.60, 262.40, 246.20, 199.10, and 128.0 μg/g, respectively. GC–MS determination of the relative percentage composition of phytosterols showed 4-desmethylsterols as the most abundant phytosterols in the oils, by occurring up to 90% in moretologa-kgomo, mkukubuyo, and manketti seed oils, with β-sitosterol being the most abundant. Mokolwane seed oil contained the largest percentage composition of 4,4-dimethylsterols (45.93%). Besides 4-desmethylsterols (75%), morama oil also contained significant amounts of 4,4-dimethylsterols and 4-monomethylsterols (15.72% total). GC–MS determination of the absolute amounts of 4-desmethylsterols, after SPE fractionation of the unsaponifiable matter, confirmed that β-sitosterol was the most abundant phytosterol in the test seed oils, with manketti seed oil being the richest source (1326.74 μg/g). The analysis showed total 4-desmethylsterols content as 1617.41, 1291.88, 861.47, 149.15, and 109.11 μg/g for manketti, mokolwane, mkukubuyo, morama, and moretologa-kgomo seed oils, respectively.

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Acknowledgment

We like to thank the European Commission for funding the Morama II Project. Yulita Mitei would like to thank the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for sponsoring her PhD studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

    Y. C. Mitei

  2. Chemistry Department, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, South Africa

    J. C. Ngila

  3. Chemistry Department, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana

    S. O. Yeboah

  4. Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Halle, Germany

    L. Wessjohann & J. Schmidt

Authors
  1. Y. C. Mitei
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  2. J. C. Ngila
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  3. S. O. Yeboah
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  4. L. Wessjohann
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  5. J. Schmidt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. O. Yeboah.

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Mitei, Y.C., Ngila, J.C., Yeboah, S.O. et al. Profiling of Phytosterols, Tocopherols and Tocotrienols in Selected Seed Oils from Botswana by GC–MS and HPLC. J Am Oil Chem Soc 86, 617–625 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-009-1384-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-009-1384-5

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