Characterization of triterpene alcohols of seed oils from some species of theaceae, phytolaccaceae and sapotaceae

Triterpene alcohol constituents of the unsaponifiable lipids separated from tea seed oil fromThea sinensis L. (Theaceae), camellia seed oil fromCamellia japonica L. (Theaceae), pokeweed seed oil fromPhytolacca americana L. (Phytolaccaceae) and shea butter from the seed kernels ofButyrospermum parkii (Sapotaceae) were studied. Among a number of triterpene alcohols present in these oils, 19 components were identified as cycloartenol, 24‐methylenecycloartanol, parkeol, 24‐methylene‐24‐dihydroparkeol, lanosterol, euphol, butyrospermol, tirucallol, tirucalla‐7,24‐dienol, dammaradienol, 24‐methylenedammarenol, α‐amyrin, β‐amyrin, lupeol, germanicol, taraxasterol, ψ‐taraxasterol, taraxerol and myricadiol. Tirucalla‐7,24‐dienol and butyrospermol are the predominant components of the 2 Theaceae and pokeweed seed oils. Shea butter, on the other hand, contains α‐amyrin followed by butyrospermol and lupeol as the major triterpene constituents.