Triterpene Alcohol and Fatty Acid Composition of Shea Nuts from Seven African Countries

Abstract

The content and composition of triterpene alcohol fractions of the non-saponifi able lipids (NSL) along with the fatty acid composition of the kernel fats (n-hexane extracts) of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa; Sapotaceae) were determined for 36 samples from seven sub-Saharan countries: Cote d Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad, Sudan, and Uganda. The fat content of the kernels, proportion of NSL in the fats, and triterpene alcohols in the NSL are in the range of 30-54, 2-12, and 22-72 , respectively. The triterpene alcohol fractions contained α-amyrin (1), β-amyrin (2), lupeol (3), and butyrospermol (4) as the major constituents along with minor or trace amounts of ψ-taraxasterol (5), taraxasterol (6), parkeol (7), 24-methylene-24-dihydroparkeol (8), 24-methylenecycloartanol (9), dammaradienol (10), and 24-methylenedammarenol (11). Fatty acid composition is dominated by stearic (28-56 ) and oleic (34-61 ) acids. Shea butters from West African provenances contained in general higher levels of triterpene alcohols and stearic acid than those from East African provenances. Both stearic acid and total triterpene alcohol contents were significantly correlated to the latitude and elevation of the source population, indicating that higher levels of these compounds are found at higher ambient temperatures.

Anti-Inflammatory and Chemopreventive Effects of Triterpene Cinnamates and Acetates from Shea Fat

“…Although these compounds can be found in other plants, shea kernels are a particularly attractive source due to exceptionally high levels of triterpene alcohols up to 6.2% as the NSL constituents of fat 10 and the availability of shea nuts and shea kernel fat shea butter as export commodities. The results of this study will be of value for further utilization of shea fat in product applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical fi elds in the future.…”

“…during the 2006 shea season May through July from a healthy mature tree at a site longitude E 7 27 9 , latitude N 9 40 53 , elevation 365 m in central Nigeria 10 . α-Amyrin acetate 1a , β-amyrin acetate 2a , lupeol acetate 3a , and butyrospermol acetate 4a were used as the reference compounds 6 .…”

“…1 . We have recently determined the contents and composition of triterpene alcohol fractions of the non-saponifinable lipids NSL along with fatty acid composition of the kernel fats n-hexane extracts of the shea tree for 36 nut samples from seven subSaharan countries 10 . Since naturally occurring triterpene alcohols and their derivatives exhibit a variety of biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, chemopreventive, and antimycobacterial activities [11][12][13][14][15] , we were especially interested to undertake investigation of the trit-erpene ester constituents of shea fat in order to evaluate their further pharmacological potential.…”

Fatty Acids as Biocompounds: Their Role in Human Metabolism, Health and Disease - A Review. Part 1: Classification, Dietary Sources and Biological Functions

“…These emulsions also inhibit decrease of REE during caloric restriction. 19,20 ) and illipe butter (Bassia latifolia), represent 80-90% of total SFA from food intake. The last three sources, which are substantial components of chocolate products, also contain approximately 35% of oleic acid.…”

Anti-inflammatory activity of fatty extract of Vitalleria paradoxa Kernel (Shea butter) and pattern of its clinical use in arthritis in Enugu, South East Nigeria

“…7 The fatty content of the shea nut kernel varies by region from 29.7-53.7%, while protein content is insignificant. 4,8 Phytosterols make up an unsaponifiable fraction of Shea butter and these include campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, α-spinosterol, triterpenes and a hydrocarbon, karitene. 9 Shea butter is composed of five principal fatty acids: palmitic, oleic, stearic, linoleic and arachidic acid.…”