title: Analysis of fatty acids in A. szechenyianum Gay. by microwave-assisted extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aconitum szechenyianum Gay. is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with the detumescent and styptic effects and antitumor activity. There have been only a few researches on its chemical components, but no detailed report has appeared on its fatty acids.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a simple and effective method for the extraction of fatty acids from A. zechenyianum Gay. and then to investigate the fatty acid components.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was optimized with response surface methodology, and the fatty acid compositions of extract were determined by GC-MS with previous derivatisation to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). The results were compared with that obtained by classical Soxhlet extraction (SE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with SE, MAE showed significantly higher fatty acid yields, shorter extraction time, and lower energy and solvent consumption. The major fatty acids in A. szechenyianum Gay. are linoleic acid, palmitic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid, and the unsaturated fatty acids occupy 66.4% of the total fatty acids.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Plant Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 71006, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Xia
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Zhao-Li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Mou
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Zhi-Qi
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D031841:Aconitum / Q000737:chemistry*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008872:Microwaves; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D013229:Stearic Acids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D019301:Oleic Acid; C031183:stearic acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid