PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF CERTAIN CENTAUREA SPECIES

Abstract

1. The physical and chemical analyses as well as the composition of the different lipids of the most common Egyptian Centaurea species viz. C. alexandrina, C. calcitrapa, C. glomerata and C. pallescens, were studied. The fatty acids were identified by thin–layer and gas–liquid chromatography as oleic, linoleic, linolenic, myristic, palmitic, stearic, arachidic, behenic and lignoceric. The study of the fatty acids revealed certain qualitative and quantitative differences in the four studied species.

2. The unsaponifiable matter of the lipids were investigated using column, thin–layer and reactive layer Chromatographie techniques, β–sitosterol, m. p. 136–137° C and β–amyrin, m. p. 196° C were isolated. Their identity was proved by melting points and mixed melting points determinations, elementary analyses, infra–red spectra and preparation of their acetyl derivatives.

Zusammenfassung

In den in Ägypten weit verbreiteten Arten Centaurea alexandrina, C. calcitrapa, C. glomerata und C. pallescens wurden durch DC und GLC Ölsäure, Linolsäure, Myristinsäure, Palmitinsäure, Stearinsäure, Arachinsäure, Behensäure und Lignocerinsäure identifiziert, wobei qualitative und quantitative Differenzen zwischen den vier Arten festgestellt wurden. Aus dem Unverseifbaren wurden β–Sitosterol und β–Amyrin isoliert.