Chemical composition and molecular speciation of the triacylglycerol of the oils of Lonchocarpus sericeus and Lonchocarpus cyanescens

Proximate composition of the seeds and chemical analysis of the oils of Lonchocarpus sericeus and Lonchocarpus cyanescens were determined. The oil content of the seed of L. cyanescens is 29.71?±?0.20% while that of L. sericeus is 28.00?±?0.50%. The seeds as well as the oils of L. cyanescens and L. sericeus were found to be rich in K, Na and Fe. Linolenic (C18:3) and oleic (C18:1) acid are the dominant fatty acids while the neutral lipids the dominant lipid class in the oils. Phytol, sterols, beta-tocopherol and hydrocarbons were identified in the unsaponifiable matters of the oils using GC-MS. The HPLC results revealed the presence of glycolipids, which are monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosylmonoacylglycerol and monogalactosylmonoacylglycerol. Molecular speciation of the triacylglycerol revealed the presence of molecular species with equivalent carbon chain numbers C(36) (L. sericeus) and C(50) (L. cyanescens) to be dominantly present in the oils.