Syzygium cuminii syn Eugenia jambolana seed oil was found to contain lauric (2-8%), myristic (31.7%), palmitic (4-7%), stearic (6.5%), oleic (32.2%), linoleic (16.1 %), malvalic (1.2%), sterculic (1.8%) and vernolic (3.0%) acids.

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u l a t a b a d , G. M . M u l l a u n d A . M . M c r a j k u r * 1 n t r o d u c t i o 11l'iper r z c g r i~n~ is a climbing perennial shrub, found i n most parts of India. Over half of thc American consuniption o f pepper IS reported to go into meat industry for curing and prescrvation o f meat. Black pepper is mostly used for its characteristic delicate penetrating aroma and pungent, biting taste. Pepper retards the development of rancidity in oils and fats. This activity has been attributed to the presence of tocopherols i n oleo resin. The small concentration of pepper commonly used however IS not sufficient to prevent deterioration of foods'.1: x p c r i m e n t a I Matcrial.r atiti iMethor1.tSeeds o f Ptper nigrzctn were powdered and extracted thoroughly with light peiroleuni ether to yield the oil. The analytical values of thc oil and seeds were determined according to AOCS' methods. The oil responded t o H~t l~h ? n~ and picric acid thin layer chromatography tests' indicated the presence of cyclopropenoic and epoxy fatty acids respectively. The infrared spectra of the o i l and its methyl esters showed characteristic bands at 1010 cm ' and 825 cm I for cyclopropenoic and epoxy functional groups respectively. The Durbetaki titration' of oil at 3" a n d 55°C indicated 7.7 'YO of epoxy and 10.2 ' % of cyclopropenoic fatty acids respectively. Acetolyris oJepoxideA portion of oil (20.0 g) wa4 stirred overnight at room temperature with 80 ml of 10% sulphuric acid in 200 ml of acetic acid, as described by Wilson'. The mixture was diluted with water and extracted with ether. The comhined ether extracts wcre washed with water, dried over anhydrous \,odium sulphate and evaporated in a stream of nitrogen to yield an oil.The o i l was saponified by being left overnight at room temperature with 0.8 N alcoholic potassium hydroxide. and nonsaponifiahle material was removed by ether extraction. After careful acidification to p H 5 with 0.5 N sulphuric acid, the mixed fatty acids were extracted immediately with ether. The ether solution was washed with water until neutral, and the solvent was removed. Separation of these mixed fatty acids into oxygenatcd and nonoxygenated fractions was accomplished by preparative TLC.Analytical 'TLC was performed on plates coated with 0.25 or 0.1 mm layers of silica gel G using 20 or 30% ethcr i n hexane as the solvent. Preparative TLC was effected on 20 cm x 2 cm plates with 1.0 mm layers of silica gel. When the plates were sprayed with dichlorofluorescein the separated bands were clearly visible under U V light. Acids from silica were extracted with ether. Infrared ( I K ) spectra were determined o n liquid films o r a s 1 YO solution in carbon tetrachloride on a Hitachi-270 model instrument. GLC analysis was d o n e on a Perkin-Elmer Sigma unit with a column containing 1.5 70 IIEGS o n chromosorb W, 45 -60 mesh. The temperature at injection port, detector port and oven were 240, 1 3 0 . 190°C respcctivcly. Nitrogen flow and chart s p e d wcrc 30 ml/niin and one crniniin respectively....

The seed oil of Crotolaria retusa Linn, is found to contain ricinoleic (98), 7‐(2‐octylcyclopropen‐1‐yl) heptanoic acid (13 g kg−1), 8‐{2‐octylcyclopropen‐l‐yl) octanoic acid (35 g kg−1), palmitic (169 g kg−1), stearic (53 g kg−1), oleic (130 g kg−1) and linoleic (502 g kg−1) acids.

A keto fatty acid (~ox~c/s-12~ctadecenoic acid) has been isolated in appreciable amounts (45.9%) from Cryptolepis buchnani seed oil. The identification was based on chemical and spectroscopic methods. KEY WORDS: 9-oxo-c/s-12-oetadecenoie acid, Asclepidiaceae, Crllptolepis buchnani, fatty acids, seed oil.The occurrence of keto fatty acids in natural seed oils is rare (1-5). A survey of the literature reveals that no work has been reported on the seeds of Cryptolepis buchnani, which is a climbing plant occurring throughout India (6) and belongs to the Asclepidiaceae plant family. We now report the occurrence of a novel keto fatty acid in C buchnani seed oil as well as in the plant family.