Chemical Investigation of Lipoidal Matter of Ficus craterostoma

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate for the first time the lipoidal matter of Ficuscraterostoma Mildbr. & Burret family (Moraceae) growing in Egypt. Methods: The identification of saponifiable and unsaponifiable matter of Ficuscraterostomaleaves were carried out by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Results: Saponification of n-hexane extract of F. craterostoma leaves yielded 55% and 11% for unsaponifiable matter and fatty acids, respectively. The content of saturated fatty acids (66.09%) identified is higher than unsaturated fatty acids (22.23%); where palmitic acid (59.71%) and linolenic acid (11.59%) are the main saturated and unsaturated fatty acids identified, respectively. Hexacosane (29.36%) is the main hydrocarbon, while a cholesterol derivative (0.3%) is the only sterol identified.