Simultaneous Determination of Four Fatty Acids in Coix Seeds via Gas Chromatography

The aim of this study was to establish a method named simultaneous determination for the content of four fatty acids in Coix seeds and provide a reference for the quality control of this type of medicinal ingredient. The contents of four fatty acids in Coix seeds were determined via gas chromatography, and the method was subsequently validated. The linear ranges of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid were 282.50–2825.00, 262.00–1572.00, 425.20–2976.75 and 304.50–1218.00 µg/mL, respectively. The RSD values of precision, repeatability and stability were less than 3.00% (n = 6), with recoveries of 98.82–102.05% (RSD 2.22–4.60%, n = 6). The contents of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid in the 24 batches of Coix seeds were 0.11–0.32%, 0.06–0.08%, 0.35–1.17% and 0.31–0.73%, respectively. Oleic acid had the highest content, followed by linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. The detection method established in this experiment was implemented rapidly and accurately, was reproducible, and could simultaneously determine the contents of four fatty acids in Coix seeds. This study provides a reference for evaluating the quality of Coix seeds obtained from different habitats.