JOURNAL of the Tunisian Chemical Society

The volatile constituents of cactus pear seeds (Opuntia ficus indica) from Tunisia were concentrated by steam distillation, followed by liquid-liquid extraction with hexane, dichloromethane and diethyl ether. The composition of extracts was analysed by GC and GC-MS. The three extracts showed different chemical compositions varying according to extraction solvent. Fourty three constituents were identified in hexanic extract, representing 84,31 % of the concentrate. The major components were 2-methoxy-4-vinyl phenol (37,61%), 2,3-Dihydrobenzofuran (26.57%) and phenyl ethanal (10,88%). Fourty seven constituents were identified in the extract with dichloromethane that represented 88,68 % of the concentrate. Oleamide (27,07%) is the major component in the concentrate followed by 4'-Hydroxy-2'-methylacetophenone (16,44%), phenyl ethanal (14,28%) and 1-propylbenzene (10,03%). Fourty five constituents were identified in diethyl ether extract, representing 93,75% of the concentrate. Linoleic acid (41,30%) and 4,6-di-tert-butyl-2-methylphenol (21,62%) were the major components.

I. El Mannoubi, S. Barrek, T. Skanji, H. Zarrouk

Opuntia ficus indica, seed, volatile compounds, steam distillation, GC-MS

Pages 61-67