title: Extraction and characterization of a natural rubber from Euphorbia characias latex.
abstract: A natural rubber was identified and characterized for the first time in the latex of the perennial Mediterranean shrub Euphorbia characias. Four different methods, i.e., acetone, acetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, and Triton® X-100, followed by successive treatments with cyclohexane/ethanol, were employed to extract the natural rubber. The rubber content was shown to be 14% (w/v) of the E. characias latex, a low content compared with that of Hevea brasiliensis (30-35%) but a similar content to other rubber producing plants. E. characias rubber showed a molecular weight of 93,000 with a M(w) /M(n) of 2.9. (1) H NMR, (13) C NMR, and FTIR analysis revealed the characteristic of the cis-1,4-polyisoprene typical of natural rubber. These results provided novel insight into latex components and will ultimately benefit the broader understanding of E. characias latex composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, Italy.
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spanò
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pintus
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mascia
authors.forename: Mariano Andrea
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Scorciapino
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casu
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Floris
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medda
mesh_terms: D028481:Euphorbia / Q000737:chemistry*; D028482:Hevea / Q000737:chemistry; D007840:Latex / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012408:Rubber / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D007840:Latex; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012408:Rubber