DOI: 10.1094/CC-82-0242 |  VIEW ARTICLE

Policosanol Contents and Compositions in Wax-Like Materials Extracted from Selected Cereals of Korean Origin.

Keum Taek Hwang (1,2), Ji Eun Kim (1), and Curtis L. Weller (3). (1) Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Center for Healthcare Technology Development, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Korea. (2) Corresponding author. Phone: +82-63-270-3857. Fax: +82-63-270-3854. E-mail: <keum@chonbuk.ac.kr> (3) Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583. Cereal Chem. 82(3):242-245. Accepted January 26, 2005. Copyright 2005 AACC International, Inc.

Policosanols, long-chained alcohols, have been reported to have beneficial physiological activities. Content and composition of policosanols in wax-like materials extracted from selected cereals of Korean origin were determined. Wax-like materials were extracted using hot hexane. Yields of wax-like materials from unpolished grain sorghum, polished grain sorghum, brown rice, purple rice, wheat, and maize were 223, 37, 33, 61, 10, and 10 mg/100 g of dry kernels, respectively. Policosanol contents, as determined using HPLC, in the wax-like materials from the cereals were 33, 29, 6, 0, and 2% (w/w, db), respectively. Major alcohols in the policosanols from grain sorghum were octacosanol and triacontanol. Docosanol was the major alcohol in the policosanols from brown rice, purple rice, wheat, and maize.