Physicochemical, thin layer and gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of ungrafted desi mango flower oil and mineral estimation in its flowers

Abstract

In the present work, flower oil of a local cultivar of Mangifera indica L. called ungrafted desi mango was subjected to physicochemical analysis and thin layer (TLC) and gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). Oil was extracted from the flowers in hexane using Soxhlet apparatus and the yield was 1.63%. The saponification and iodine values were 180 and 75.23, respectively, while the percentage of unsaponifiable matter and free fatty acid content were 1.46 and 6.60%, respectively. The moisture content in the flowers was 0.15%. Hydrocarbons, wax ester, sterol ester, triglycerides, fatty acids, alcohols, sterols, diglycerides, monoglycerides, and phospholipids were identified in the oil with TLC by comparing their Rf values with standard compounds. Fatty acid composition of the oil was determined with GLC which showed the presence of C₁₂ to C₂₀ fatty acids in different amounts, C_18:0 being the highest (51.5%) and C₁₂ and C₁₄ very low. Macro and micro mineral elements were estimated in flowers of the mango plant using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The amounts in ppm were sodium (693.68), potassium (629.25), iron (253.04), nickel (2.17), zinc (24.28), copper (23.24) and lead (9.31).

Key words: Mangifera indica, ungrafted desi mango, physicochemical, flower oil, mineral elements.