Seed Oils of Pakistani Wild species of Umbelliferae Family: Ducrosia anethifolia, Bunium persicum, Bunium cylindricum and Ammi majus; as Potential Industrial Raw Material

Seed Oils of Umbelliferae

Abstract

Seed oils from Ducrosia anethifolia (8.7%), Bunium persicum (16.1%), Bunium cylindricum (15.1%) and Ammi majus (7.78%) growing wild in Pakistan were studied for their fatty acid composition. GC and degradative oxidation techniques revealed that the seed oils contained 58.8%, 43.2%, 27.3% and 38.56% petroselinic acid, respectively. Fatty acids mainly consisted of oleic, linoleic, linolenic and palmitic acids with minor amounts of other saturated fatty acids. Petroselinic acid was determined by degradative oxidation of the C18 monoenoic ester and GC of the oxidized product esters. These species with high oil content and high percentage of petroselinic acid can be used as raw material source in soap and chemical industries.