Contenido de ácidos grasos de las partes aéreas de Portulaca oleracea L. que crecen en Cuba

Abstract

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) and shows anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects, which are partly attributed to its lipid composition. Although this plant is quite abundant in Cuba, it is not usually consumed and It is any chemical study has not been informed yet. Taking into account these facts, the aim of this work was to study the FAs content of the aerial parts of purslane growing in our country. Aerial parts (leaves and stems) were collected, dried, milled in a mortar and extracted with hexane in an ultrasonic bath during 1 h. The extract was filtered and the solvent evaporated under reduced pressure in a rotary evaporator at 60 °C. A dark greenish brown liquid of oily appearance and characteristic odor was obtained with 1.7 % of yield. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography and the FAs (1.32 % of fresh aerial parts) were determined as methyl ester derivatives. Majorities FAs were linolenic (37.83 %), palmitic (23.11 %), linoleic (14.42 %) and oleic (6.72 %), while other acids were detected in minor proportions; some of them (caprilic, capric, lauric, pentadecanoic, heptacosanoic, octacosanoic, octadecatetraenoic, gondoic and eicosatetraenoic acids) not previously detected in this species. The present study contributes to the of knowledge chemical composition of aerial parts of Portulaca oleracea L. growing in Cuba, informing the FAs content of its lipid extract.