Acyclic and incompletely cyclized triterpene alcohols in the seed oils of Theaceae and Gramineae

The triterpene alcohol constituents of the non-saponifiable lipids of two T heaceae seed oils, sasanqua and camellia oils, and two Gramineae seed oils, wheat germ and rice bran oils, were investigated. This led to the isolatio n and characterization of one acyclic and eight incompletely cyclized trite rpene alcohols. They are camelliol A, camelliol B, camelliol C, achilleol A , helianol, isohelianol, sasanquol, graminol A [(13R, 14R)-3,4-seco-25(10-- >9)abeo-8 alpha, 9 beta, 10 alpha-podioda-4,17,21-trien-3-ol], and (2Z,6Z,1 0Z,14E,18E)-farnesyl-farnesol. Two other compounds isolated were characteri zed as (2Z,6Z,10E,14E)-geranylfarnesol, a sesterterpene alcohol, and phytol , a diterpene alcohol. Graminol A and (2Z,6Z,10E,14E)-geranylfarnesol are c onsidered to be new natural products.