THE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF THE SEEDS OF GINKGO-BILOBA

The fatty acid composition of seeds of Ginkgo biloba has been examined by a combination of capillary gas chromatography, silver ion high-per formance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometr y. Some of the fatty acids identified are unusual in plants and were r ather different from those reported earlier. These include an anteiso- methyl branched fatty acid, 14-methylhexadecanoic acid, 5,9-octadecadi enoic acid, and 5,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid. Fourier-transform infrar ed spectroscopy confirmed that all of the double bonds were of the cis -configuration.