GC-FID Analysis of Fatty Acids and Biological Activity of Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC Seed Oil

The Fatty acid content and composition of fixed oil from Zanthoxylum rhetsa seeds was determined. The seeds were found to contain about ~19.5% of crude fixed oil on a dry weight basis. Fatty acids were converted into methyl esters and analyzed by GC-FID. Ten fatty acids were identified using GC-FID. The major monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids were oleic acid (41.6 43.5%) and palmitic acid (26.8-30.2%) respectively, whereas the α-linolenic acid (12.1 12.5%) and linoleic acid (10.0%) were polyunsaturated fatty acid. Stearic acid (5.2 6.0%), myristic acid (0.1%), traces of pentadecanoic, heptadecanoic and arachidic acid were also identified. These fatty acids have not been reported earlier from the oil of Z. rhetsa. Fixed oil exhibited significant free radical scavenging activity which was measured using DPPH, and is also known to inhibit the gastrointestinal motility significantly.