Lignans and tocopherols in Indian sesame cultivars

Lignan (sesamol, sesamin, and sesamolin) profile was determined in different cultivars (botanically identified or market samples) of sesame seeds and commercial oils procured from different parts of India. The wide variation observed in total lignans from 21 sesame seed and 9 commercial oils was attributed to variations in sesamin and sesamolin contents. Lignan content was high (18 g sesamin/kg, 10 g sesamolin/kg) in seasame cultivars obtained from the northeastern states of India. In two of the commercial oils having the Agmark label, the total lignan content was ∼12 g/kg (7.3 g sesamin, 4.7 g sesamolin), 50% of the maximum permissible levels of unsaponifiable matter. In both the seeds and commercial oils, γ-tocopherol was the only representative of tocopherol isomers identified. Sesamin and sesamolin were isolated and crystallized from high-lignan cultivars, and their purity was confirmed by HPLC and spectral (UV and fluorescence) analysis.