Chemistry of Natural Compounds 43 (4), 380-383, 2007.

FATTY ACIDS OF Stachys milanii SEEDS

G. Stojanovic¹, A. P. Ligon², A. Smelcerovic², J. Lazarevic³, M. Spiteller² and R. Palic¹

¹Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Nis, Visegradska 33, 18000 Nis, Serbia and Montenegro
²Institute of Environmental Research (INFU), University of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44221 Dortmund, Germany
³Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, B. Taskovic 81, 18000 Nis, Serbia and Montenegro

Received 27 March 2006

Abstract:

For the first time the total acid composition of the seeds of Stachys milanii Petrovic, a species endemic to the central and eastern Balkan Peninsula and growing spontaneously at two localities, was examined by GC and GC/MS. The major fatty acid was linoleic or oleic acid. Besides fatty acids that represent the usual seed oil constituents, 6-octadecynoic and 9-oxononanoic acid were identified in considerable amounts. The high content of 6-octadecynoic acid makes S. milanii seed oil a good potential source for the active substance in antifungal preparations. From the chemotaxonomical point of view, small amounts of octadecatrienoic acid detected in the seeds suggested classification of S. milanii as an archaic taxon.

Keywords: Stachys milanii, Lamiaceae, seed fatty acids, 6-octadecynoic acid, 9-oxononanoic acid.