Abstract

RODRIGUEZ LEYES, Eduardo A; GONZALEZ CANAVACIOLO, Víctor L; MARRERO DELANGE, David  and  LEIVA SANCHEZ, Ángela T. Lipid fractions obtained from fruits of Serenoa repens harvested in Cuba. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2012, vol.17, n.1, pp. 11-20. ISSN 1028-4796.

Introduction: lipid extracts from the fruits of Serenoa repens, a native palm from the United States of America, are used to treat benign prostate hyperplasia. Although this species was introduced in the National Botanic Garden of Cuba some years ago, the lipid extracts of its fruits had not been studied yet. Objective: to determine the main organoleptic, physical and chemical characteristics of lipid extracts from the fruits of S. repens harvested in Cuba. Methods: dried fruits and fresh ripe fruits of S. repens were harvested. Fresh fruits were dried at room temperature and at 80 ºC. The three groups of dried fruits were grounded and extracted with hexane in Söxhlet equipment. The main characteristics of the dried lipid extracts were determined. The studied components were determined by gas chromatography, in some cases with mass spectrometry detection. Results: organoleptic and physical characteristics as well as the contents of fatty acids (major components) and ethyl esters of the studied extracts agreed with that described in literature, whereas those of sterols and fatty alcohols were higher than those previously reported for this species. some fatty alcohols not previously reported in these extracts, that is, 1-eicosanol, 1-docosanol, 1-heptacosanol, 1-nonacosanol, 1-dotriacontanol and 1-tetratriacontanol.were also identified. Conclusions: Generally speaking, the lipid extracts from the fruits of S. repens harvested in Cuba presented characteristics similar to those reported for the extracts of this species, although some differences were also found, such as the content of sterols and fatty alcohols and the presence of some fatty alcohols not previously reported in the literature.

Keywords : ethyl esters; fatty acids; fatty alcohols; ethyl esters; sterols; lipid fraction; Serenoa repens.

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