EXTRACTION, PURIFICATION AND DETERMINATION OF PHYTO-COMPONENT OF FATTY ACIDS FROM IRVINGIA GABONENSIS SEEDS

Objective: This study was designed to extract, purify and determine the phyto-components in the petroleum ether extract of Irvingia gabonensis seeds (IGS). A multiple batch extraction procedure was employed using petroleum ether as a solvent. A specified quantity of the IGS was size reduced, dispersed in freshly distilled water by heating to a temperature of 80 ºC. The dispersion was then filtered through a clean muslin cloth. The fats content was separated from the Biopolymer by first dispersing in 90% alcohol, filtered and dried at 40 ºC. The fat component of the residue was finally extracted with petroleum ether. The GC-MS analysis of the petroleum ether extract of IGS was performed using an Agilent G1701 GC/MSD system. This investigation was done to determine the possible chemical components from IGS by GC-MS. This analysis revealed that the petroleum ether extract of IGS contained mainly fatty acid compounds–lauric acid (36.82%), myristic acid (31.52%), benzyl dodecanoate (9.06%) and palmitic acid (4.03%), n-Decanoic acid, 1-(hydroxyl-methyl)- 1, 2- ethanediyl ester, tetradecanoic acid, 2- hydroxy-1, 3-propanediyl ester. The results from the present study show that IGS contains various bioactive compounds and is recommended as a plant of phytopharmaceutical importance.