FIXED OILS

E X PE RIMENT NO. 7
Objectives:
To extract the fixed oil content of castor seed and to determine some
of its physical and chemical properties.
DATA AND RESULTS
A. Physical Tests
1. Color - transparent with visible light green color
Odor- none
Physical State- liquid
2. Solubility test:
a. water- insoluble
b. alcohol- soluble
c. ether- insoluble
d. chloroform- insoluble
e. acetone- soluble
3. Stain test- positive
QUESTIONS
 Differentiate fixed oils from volatile oils.
Volatile oil
Also called as an essential oil.
Volatile oil can evaporate when placed under
room temperature
They can be extracted easily by the distillation
process
They are unable to undergo saponification
Mixtures of cleoptenes & stearoptenes are
termed as volatile oils
Posses high refractive index
These are optically active.
Their primary source is leaves,roots,in petals
and bark.
Fixed Oil
Also called as natural non-volatile oil.
Fixed oils do not evaporate at room
temperature
They require some specific techniques for
extraction.
Fixed oils can be easily saponified.
Esters of higher fatty acids & glycerin are called
as fixed oils.
Posses low refractive index
These are optically inactive.
Their major source is seeds of the plant.
Enumerate the three classes of lipids and differentiate
from one another in terms of their physical and
chemical properties.

1. Triglycerides- also called as neutral fats. The triglycerides have ester as functional group
which comprised of one glycerol molecule (1,2,3-trihydroxypropane) combined with three
fatty acids molecules.
-considered for efficient energy storing as more energy could be stored in a pound of fat
compared to a pound of carbohydrates like glycogen.
2. Steroids- this class of lipids shows much similarity with triglycerides
except the fact that they are hydrophobic in nature. They are metabolic
derivative of terpenes with tetracyclic skeleton of three fused six-member
and one five member ring.
3. Phospholipids-phosphate derivatives of triglycerides and is composed of
a glycerol molecule with a couple of fatty acids or diglyceride and a
phosphate group with some polar molecule like serine, choline or
ethanolamine.
What causes the rancidity of the fixed oils?
The rancidity (deterioration of lipids) of fixed oils is mainly because of the
decomposition of fats or oils by either hydrolysis or oxidation, or both.
Name the pharmaceutical and
pharmacological uses of lipids.

saffron oil - rich in linoleic acid and other unsaturated acids and play
an important role in moving cholesterol when used reasonably in the
diet
peanut oil and sesame oil - often used in the preparation of
intramuscular injections
castor oil- cathartic
cod liver oil- anti cathartic
olive oil- emollient
END
G R O UP 5