Highly selective and sensitive Th<Superscript>4+</Superscript>-PVC-based membrane sensor based on 2-(diphenylphosphorothioyl)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′-diphenylacetamide

A Th⁴⁺ ion-selective membrane sensor was fabricated from poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix membrane containing 2-(diphenylphosphorothioyl)-N′,N′-diphenyl acetamide (DPTD) as a neutral carrier, potassium tetrakis (p-chlorophenyl) borate (KTpClPB) as anionic excluder and o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (NPOE) as a plasticizing solvent mediator. The effects of the membrane composition, pH and additive anionic influence on the response properties were investigated. The sensor, comprising 30% PVC, 63% solvent mediator, 4% ionophore and 3% anionic additive demonstrates the best potentiometric response characteristics. It displays Nernstian behavior (15.2 ± 0.5 mV per decade) over the concentration range 1.0 × 10⁻²–1.0 × 10⁻⁶ M. The detection limit of the electrode is 6.3 × 10⁻⁷ M (∼140 ng/ml). The response time of the electrode is 30 s .The sensor can be used in the pH range 3.0–9.0 for about 6 weeks. The membrane sensor was used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Th⁴⁺ ions with EDTA. It was successfully applied to the determination of thorium ions in binary mixture.     

Swelling characterization of poly (acrylamide-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylimidazole) hydrogels crosslinked by TMPTA and semi-IPN’s with PEG

In this study, a novel semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN’s) hydrogel, composed of acrylamide (AAm) with N-vinylimidazole (NVI) as comonomer, with poly (ethylene glycol)(PEG) and a multifunctional crosslinker such as trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) was prepared. Highly swollen poly (AAm/NVI) hydrogels and semi-IPN’s were synthesized by free radical solution polymerization. Swelling experiments were performed in water at 25°C, gravimetrically. The influence of NVI and PEG content in hydrogels were examined. Poly (AAm/NVI) and poly (AAm/NVI/PEG) hydrogels showed large extents of swelling in aqueous media the swelling being highly dependent on the chemical composition of the hydrogels. Swelling ratio of poly (AAm/NVI) hydrogels and poly (AAm/NVI/PEG) hydrogels was shown 7.16–39.85. Diffusion behavior was investigated. Water diffusion into hydrogels was found to be non-Fickian in character. This study has given the quantitative information on the swelling characteristic of poly (AAm/NVI) hydrogel and semi-IPN’s as water absorbent in many potential applications.     

Electrochemical behavior of a new <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>-triazine-based dendrimer

The electrochemical behavior of a new G-2-s-triazine-based dendrimer, 2,4,6-tris-{4-{4,6-bis-{4-{4,6-bis-[(1S,2S)-1,3-dihydroxy-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-prop-2-ylamino]-s-triazin-2-yl}-piperazin-1-yl}-s-triazin-2-yl}-piperazin-1-yl}-s-triazine, (I), was studied in dimethylsulfoxide solution by cyclic voltammetry, on platinum and graphite electrodes. The electrochemical properties of I were compared with that of one of its precursor, N-{4,6-bis{4-{4,6-bis[(1S,2S)-1,3-dihydroxy-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-prop-2-ylamino]-s-triazin-2-yl}-piperazin-1-yl}-triazin-2-yl}-piperazine), (II), together with that of the starting material, (1S,2S)-2-amino-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-propane-1,3-diol (“p-nitrophenylserinol”), (III).     

Removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions with poly (<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-isopropylacrylamide-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-itaconic acid) hydrogels

In this study, N-isopropylacrylamide-based temperature and pH-sensitive hydrogels were synthesized by free radical polymerization for removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, N-isopropylacrylamide was copolymerized with various amounts of sodium salt of itaconic acid in the presence of crosslinking agent (N,N-methylene bisacrylamide). The chemical structures of hydrogels were characterized by FT-IR analysis. In order to investigate swelling properties of the hydrogels, water absorption (swelling) and shrinking (deswelling) kinetics, the equilibrium swelling ratios in water and different pH buffer solutions, and the temperature dependent swelling ratios were determined. Then, their adsorption properties such as adsorption capacities, kinetics, isotherms were investigated in case of their usage in removal of Safranine T (ST), Brilliant Green (BG), and Brilliant Cresyl Blue (BCB) aqueous solutions. According to adsorbed dye amount, the adsorption capacities are followed the order BG > ST ≅ BCB. In addition, the results indicated that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model fitted better than the data obtained from pseudo-first-order model for the adsorption of all dyes onto hydrogels. Furthermore, according to effect of the initial dye concentration findings, it is concluded that, Freundlich isotherm explains the adsorption better than Langmuir isotherm.     

Role of Catechol Structure in the Adsorption and Transformation Reactions of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-D<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">opa</Emphasis> in Soils

3-(3′,4′-Dihydroxyphenyl)-l-alanine (l-DOPA), which is synthesized in velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens), inhibits plant growth. The concentration of l-DOPA in soil is reduced by adsorption and transformation reactions, which can result in the reduction of its plant-growth-inhibitory activity. To determine which part of the l-DOPA structure is involved in the adsorption and soil transformation reactions, we compared the kinetics of l-DOPA disappearance in a volcanic ash soil with that of l-phenylalanine (3-phenyl-l-alanine) and l-tyrosine (3-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-l-alanine), compounds that are similar in structure to l-DOPA but do not have a catechol (o-dihydroxybenzene) moiety. l-Phenylalanine and l-tyrosine were not adsorbed and transformed in the soil at equilibrium pH values between 4 and 7. These results suggest that the adsorption and transformation reactions of l-DOPA in the soil involve the catechol moiety and not the amino and carboxylic acid groups, which are common to all three compounds. Like l-DOPA, (+)-catechin, another allelochemical that contains a catechol moiety, underwent adsorption and soil transformation reactions. Thus, we concluded that the concentrations of allelochemicals bearing a catechol moiety in soils will decrease rapidly owing to adsorption and transformation reactions, and this decrease will be faster in soils with a high pH value or high adsorption ability. Owing to this decrease in concentration, allelopathic phenomena may not occur.     

Swelling behaviour and paracetamol release from poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-isopropylacrylamide-itaconic acid) hydrogels

Copolymer hydrogels of N-isopropylacrylamide and itaconic acid (IA), crosslinked with N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide, were prepared by radical copolymerization. These hydrogels were investigated with regard to their composition to find materials with satisfactory swelling and drug release properties. A paracetamol is used as a model drug to investigate drug release profile of the hydrogels. It was found that the investigated hydrogels exhibited pH- and temperature-dependent swelling behaviour with restricted swelling and lower equilibrium degree of swelling at lower pH values and temperatures above the LCST value of PNIPAM (around 34 °C). The diffusion exponent for paracetamol release indicate that the mechanism of paracetamol release are governed by Fickian diffusion, while in all release media initial diffusion coefficient was lower than late time diffusion coefficient. Furthermore, the paracetamol release rate depends on the hydrogel degree of swelling and it increased in the first stage of diffusion process, whereas was no significant difference thereafter. The presence of the IA moieties incorporated into the network weakened the shear resistance of the hydrogels. In order to calculate the pore size the characteristic ratio for PNIPAM, C _n  = 11.7, was calculated. Based on the pore size, the investigated hydrogels can be regarded as microporous. According to the obtained results swelling behaviour, mechanical properties, drug-loading capacity and the drug release rate could be controlled by hydrogel composition and crosslinking density, which is important for application of the investigated hydrogels as drug delivery systems.     

Protoplast from <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-carotene-producing fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Blakeslea trispora</Emphasis>: Preparation,regeneration and validation

The effects of key parameters on the preparation and regeneration of protoplast from the β-carotene-producing fungus Blakeslea trispora were discussed in this paper, including the combination of various enzymes, mycelial age, digesting time and temperature, pH value, osmotic stabilizers, pretreatment, culture medium and culture method. Under the condition of mixed enzymes in osmotic stabilizer (0.6 M NaCl) combined with 2% lysozyme, 3% cellulase and 3% snailase, the highest protoplast yield, as high as 7.48×106 protoplasts/mL, was obtained when mycelial age was 60 h at pH 5.0–6.0 with digesting for 14–16 h at 28 °C. After purification of the obtained protoplasts, they were regenerated in PDA regenerative medium using bilayer plate culture method. To validate the usability of the protoplasts, a novel plasmid with green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used in transformation for easy visual observation. The results showed that the protoplasts prepared by the optimized method were active and applicable in further gene manipulation experiments. This work was presented at 13 ^th YABEC symposium held at Seoul, Korea, October 20–22, 2007.     

Hydrophobic periodic mesoporous organosilicas for the adsorption of cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>

The adsorption of cytochrome c has been investigated using two different types of hydrophobic periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) that have been produced under mild reaction conditions using 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene (PMO-benzene) and 4,4′-bis(triethoxysilyl)biphenyl (PMO-biphenyl) as the precursors. For comparison studies, the adsorption of cytochrome c has also been investigated using mesoporous SBA-15 as an absorbent. Mesostructured PMOs and SBA-15 have been characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), N₂-adsorption/desorption and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The adsorption rates of the hydrophobic PMOs have been compared to that of SBA-15 at both pH 7.0 and pH 9.6. From the adsorption studies, it is found that PMO-biphenyl has more hydrophobicity than PMO-benzene and showed higher adsorption capacity to cytochrome c as compared to PMO-benzene.     

Immobilization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-amylase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus licheniformis</Emphasis> on developed support using microbial transglutaminase

α-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis was successfully immobilized on developed support, which was prepared by coating a chitosan-casein film on silica, at 20 °C, pH 6.0 for 5 hr with microbial transglutaminase (MTG) as the cross-linking factor. The optimal support was obtained when 1% chitosan and 1% casein were used in the coating mixture. The optimal condition for immobilization catalyzed by MTG was confined to be at MTG concentration of 15 U/mL, pH 6.0, reacting for 6 hr at 20 °C. The highest specific activity of immobilized α-amylase was achieved as 236 U/g. After immobilization, the obtained enzyme showed broader pH profile and maintained more than 70% of the original activity after 20 reuses.     

UV-induced synthesis of chitosan-<Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis>-polyacrylamide semi-IPN superabsorbent hydrogels

Superabsorbent hydrogels of chitosan-g-polyacrylamide with N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide as a crosslinker were prepared via UV irradiation in the absence of photoinitiator under homogeneous conditions. The product was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy to confirm the formation of hydrogels. The transparent hydrogels have been observed to exhibit as much as 2987% swelling in acidic solution. In addition, the hydrogel which hydrolyzed for 6 h (0.24 × 10³ min) can have a water uptake of 106 times its weight (5300% swelling for 0.5 g hydrogel). The effect of several variables such as time, temperature, pH, acrylamide/chitosan ratio, crosslinker amount, and different media was explored. Finally, the prepared hydrogel have been used in adsorption of Zn(II) ions from water with high removal efficiency (0.636 meq g⁻¹ or 20.8 mg g⁻¹) at pH = 7. The experimental data of the adsorption equilibrium from Zn(II) solution fit well with the pseudo-second-order model.     

New Sphingolipids with a Previously Unreported 9-Methyl-C<Subscript>20</Subscript>-sphingosine Moiety from a Marine Algous Endophytic Fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus niger</Emphasis> EN-13

Asperamides A (1) and B (2), a sphingolipid and their corresponding glycosphingolipid possessing a hitherto unreported 9-methyl-C₂₀-sphingosine moiety, were characterized from the culture extract of Aspergillus niger EN-13, an endophytic fungus isolated from marine brown alga Colpomenia sinuosa. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods as (2S,2′R,3R,3′E,4E,8E)-N-(2′-hydroxy-3′-hexadecenoyl)-9-methyl-4,8-icosadien-1,3-diol (1) and 1-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(2S,2′R,3R,3′E,4E,8E)-N-(2′-hydroxy-3′-hexadecenoyl)-9-methyl-4,8-icosadien-1,3-diol (2). In the antifungal assay, asperamide A (1) displayed moderate activity against Candida albicans.     

Binary Phase Behavior of 1,3-Dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-<Emphasis Type="Italic">sn</Emphasis>-glycerol and 1,2-Dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl-<Emphasis Type="Italic">rac</Emphasis>-glycerol

1,3-Dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol (POP) and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl-rac-glycerol (OOP) are two major molecular species that account for roughly half of the total triacylglycerols in palm oil. The binary phase behavior of a POP/OOP mixture plays an important role in the crystallization of palm oil. We conducted thermodynamic and kinetic studies of OOP and its mixtures with POP using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction with a conventional generator and synchrotron radiation. We found that OOP has two polymorphs, α as a metastable form and β′ as the most stable form, and that the two forms are stacked in a triple-chain-length structure. The POP/OOP mixtures exhibited immiscible eutectic natures in both their metastable and their most stable states, in contrast to POP/1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-oleoyl-rac-glycerol and POP/1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol mixtures, in which molecular compounds of a double-chain-length structure were formed. A time-resolved synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction study undertaken during the cooling and heating processes indicated that the α and β′ forms of the POP and OOP fractions crystallized and melted in separate manners, and that crystallization of the β′ form and the polymorphic transformation from α to β′ of POP and OOP are promoted in the presence of another component. The absence of molecular compound crystals in the binary mixtures of POP/OOP is explained by taking into account the molecular interactions of acyl chain packing, glycerol conformation, and methyl end stacking, among which glycerol conformation appeared to be most influential.     

Electrochemical oxidation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-sulfonated calix[8]arene

The water-soluble p-sulfonated sodium salt of calix[8]arene (III) was synthesized. The product was characterized by FT-IR, NMR and UV–Vis spectra.Then the electrochemical behaviors of p-sulfonated sodium salt of calix[8]arene in NaAc+HAc (pH = 4) buffer solution was studied. In aqueous solution, p-sulfonated calix[8]arene can be oxidized when the potential is more than 0.7 V vs SCE. It was confirmed that the reaction was a two-electron irreversible electrochemical reaction. The transfer coefficient, α, was measured as 0.7. At 25°, the diffusion coefficient of p-sulfonated calix[8]arene was determined as 8.6 × 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹. The diffusion activation energy of p-sulfonated calix[8]arene was 18.9 kJ mol⁻¹ at pH = 4.     

New cerebrosides from the basidiomycete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cortinarius tenuipes</Emphasis>

Five cerebrosides (1–5), including three new ones named cortenuamide A (1), cortenuamide B (2), and cortenuamide C (3), were isolated from the fruiting bodies of the basid-iomycete Cortinarius tenuipes. The structures of those compounds were elucidated as (4E,8E)-N-d-2′-hydroxytetracosanoyl-1-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (1), (4E,8E)-N-d-2′-hydroxytricosanoyl-1-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8 sphingadienine (2), (4E, 8E)-N-d-2′-hydroxydocosanoyl-1-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (3), (4E, 8E)-N-d-2′-hydroxyoctadecanoyl-1-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (4), and (4E, 8E)-N-d-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (5) by spectral and chemical methods.     

Biparental Endowment of Endogenous Defensive Alkaloids in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epilachna paenulata</Emphasis>

Coccinellid beetles contain a variety of defensive alkaloids that render them unpalatable to predators. Epilachna paenulata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a South American ladybird beetle that feeds on plants of the Cucurbitaceae family. The defensive chemistry of E. paenulata has been characterized as a mixture of systemic piperidine, homotropane, and pyrrolidine alkaloids. Whole body extracts of adult beetles contain four major alkaloids: 2-(2′-oxopropyl)-6-methylpiperidine (1); 1-(6-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-pyridin-2-yl)-propan-2-one (2); 1-methyl-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one (3); and 1-(2″-hydroxyethyl)-2-(12′-aminotridecyl)-pyrrolidine (4). Comparative studies of the defensive chemistry of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults showed differences in alkaloid composition and concentration among life stages. While adults contained mainly the homotropane 1-methyl-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one (3), eggs showed the highest concentration of the piperidine 2-(2′-oxopropyl)-6-methylpiperidine (1). We studied the origin of this alkaloid in the eggs by feeding newly emerged, virgin adult beetles with [2-¹³C]-labeled acetate, and by performing crosses between ¹³C-fed and unlabeled males and females. GC-MS analysis of alkaloids from ¹³C-fed males and females showed high incorporation of ¹³C into the alkaloids, as evidenced from a 20–30% increase of isotopic peaks in diagnostic fragment ions, confirming the expected endogenous origin of these alkaloids. In addition, analyses of eggs from different crosses showed that labeled alkaloids from both parents are incorporated into eggs, indicating that E. paenulata males transfer alkaloids to the females at mating. Biparental endowment of chemical defenses into eggs has been shown previously in insects that acquire defensive compounds from dietary sources. To our knowledge, this is the first report of biparental egg endowment of endogenous defenses. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Synthesis and Antioxidancy of Some <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-Alkyl, <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>-Alkyl,Homologous and Isomeric Lipidic Alkylthiobisphenols

To study the relationship between structure and properties of members of the lipidic thiobis phenol series, as extreme pressure additives in lubricants, a series of homologous compounds has been synthesised by the reaction of alkylphenols with sulphur dichloride. The isomeric n-nonylphenols have been reacted to form the C9 isomeric 2,2′-and 4,4′-thiobisphenols. Longer alkyl side-chains resulted mainly in the formation of 4,4′-thiobisphenols and some of the 2,2′ isomer. With short alkyl, particularly t-alkyl side-chains, steric hindrance resulted in the 2,2′-compound. Additive studies have indicated that the longer chain 4,4′ compounds possessed antioxidant properties comparable and superior to former commercial branched chain 2,2′ compounds produced from petrochemical intermediates. Lipidic alkylthiobisphenols: Long chain phenols, Part 40b (Part 40a, ref 6).     

Electro-oxidation of rutin in the presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-toluenesulfinic acid

We report the electrochemical oxidation of rutin in acetonitrile-sodium phosphate (4:1 (v/v); pH 2.0) in the presence of p-toluenesulfinic acid. Cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis were used to study rutin electro-oxidation and to prepare the sulfone derivatives. Chromatographic methods were employed to separate the products and IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS and microanalysis to their characterization. Data from cyclic voltammetry allow the identification of three rutin oxidation processes in the presence of p-toluenesulfinic acid (E _p^I = 0.56 V, E _p^II = 0.81 V and E _p^III = 1.32 V). Only the electrode process around peak I was exhaustively studied. The first oxidation step leads to the formation of the corresponding o-quinone, which participates in a Michael addition reaction with the p-toluenesulfinic acid, forming the 6′(4-methylphenylsulfonyl)rutin and 6′(4-methylphenylsulfonyl)quercetin as majority products.     

Synthesis and Properties of 1,1-bis{[3-(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Dimethylamino)propyl]amido}alkane-di-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-oxides

A homologous series of new surface-active 1,1-bis{[3-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl]amido}alkane-di-N-oxides were synthesized in the reaction of an appropriate diethyl 2-alkylmalonate with N,N-dimethylamino-1,3-propanediamine followed by oxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide. The adsorption isotherms of their aqueous solutions were measured and evaluated to obtain adsorption parameters: critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface excess concentration (Γ_CMC), equilibrium surface tension at the CMC (γ_CMC), cross-sectional area of the adsorbed surfactant molecule (A _CMC), efficiency of surface adsorption (pC₂₀), standard free energies of adsorption (ΔG°_ads), and micellization (ΔG°_CMC). All investigated di-amidoamines and di-N-oxides were practically non-toxic to selected bacteria and yeasts. These compounds are readily biodegradable in the Closed Bottle Test inoculated with activated sludge. Surface and biological properties showed that this group of N-oxide-type compounds has high surface activity and fulfills requirements for environmental acceptance.

Antibacterial and xanthine oxidase inhibitory cerebrosides from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> sp. IFB-121, and endophytic fungus in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus variabilis</Emphasis>

Two antibacterial and xanthine oxidase inhibitory cerebrosides, one of which is chemically new, were characterized from the chloroform-methanol (1∶1) extract of Fusarium sp. IFB-121, an endophytic fungus in Quercus variabilis. By means of chemical and spectral methods [IR, electrospray ionization MS (ESI-MS), tandem ESI-MS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer, COSY, heteronuclear multiple-quantum coherence, heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation, and 2-D nuclear Overhauser effect correlation spectroscopy], the structure of the new metabolite named fusaruside was established as (2S,2′R,3R,3′E,4E,8E,10E)-1-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-2-N-(2′-hydroxy-3′-octadecenoyl)-3-hydroxy-9-methyl-4,8,10-sphingatrienine, and the structure of the other was identified as (2S,2′R,3R,3′E,4E,8E)-1-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-2-N-(2′-hydroxy-3′-octadecenoyl)-3-hydroxy-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine. Both new and known cerebrosides, although inactive to Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans, showed strong antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, with their minimum inhibitory concentrations being 3.9, 3.9, and 1.9 μg/mL, and 7.8, 3.9, and 7.8 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, both metabolites were inhibitory to xanthine oxidase, with the IC₅₀ value of fusaruside being 43.8±3.6 μM and the known cerebroside being 55.5±1.8 μM.     

Physico-Chemical Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Moringa concanensis</Emphasis> Seeds and Seed Oil

The present work reports the characterization and comparison of Moringa concanensis seed oil from Tharparkar (a drought hit area), Pakistan. The hexane-extracted oil content of M. concanensis seeds ranged from 37.56 to 40.06% (average 38.82%). Protein, fiber, moisture and ash contents were found to be 30.07, 6.00, 5.88 and 9.00%, respectively. The extracted oil exhibited an iodine value of 67.00; a refractive index (40 °C) of 1.4648; its density (24 °C) was 0.8660 mg mL⁻¹; the saponification value (mg of KOH g⁻¹ of oil) was 179.00; unsaponifiable matter 0.78%; color (1 in. cell) 1.90R + 19.00Y; and acidity (% as oleic acid) 0.34%. Tocopherols (α, γ, and δ) in the oil accounted for 72.11, 9.26 and 33.87 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Specific extinctions at 232 and 270 nm were 3.17 and 0.65, respectively. The peroxide and p-anisidine values of the oil were found to be 1.75 and 1.84 meq kg⁻¹, respectively. The induction periods (Rancimat, 20 L h⁻¹, 120 °C) of the crude oil was 10.81 h and reduced to 8.90 h after degumming. The M. concanensis oil was found to contain high levels of oleic acid (up to 68.00%) followed by palmitic, stearic, behenic, and arachidic acids up to levels of 11.04, 3.58, 3.44 and 7.09%, respectively. The results of the present analytical study, compared with those for other Moringa species and different vegetable oils, showed M. concanensis to be a potentially valuable non-conventional seed crop for high quality oil.