Psyllic acid explained

Psyllic acid (also psyllostearic acid, tritriacontanoic acid or ceromelissic acid) is a saturated fatty acid. The rare fatty acid occurs in insect waxes, in the wax of wax scale insects, in the propolis of bees and bumblebees and in a few plants. Its name is derived from the alder leaf flea (Psylla alni).

Alkali salts

The alkali salts of psyllic acid are precipitated when alcoholic solutions of the acid and an alkali hydroxide are mixed. The silver and barium salts can be obtained by adding aqueous alcoholic solutions of silver nitrate and barium chloride to alcoholic solutions of the acid. The following salts have been analyzed: C₃₃H₆₅O₂Na, C₆₆H₁₃₀O₄Ba, and C₃₃H₆₅O₂Ag. Psylla wax is hydrolyzed by alcoholic potassium hydroxide as well as by hydrobromic acid.^{[1] [2]}

Nutritional sources

Psyllic acid is present in Chinese wolfberries.^{[3] [4]}

See also

• List of saturated fatty acids

External links

• Psyllic acid at the Nature Lipidomics Gateway

Notes and References

1. Abstracts of Papers on Organic Chemistry. Journal of the Chemical Society. 1908. 94. 1. 123. 2010-05-10 .
2. Psylla Wax. IV. Psyllic Acid and its Salts. Ernst E. Sundvik (Zeitsch. physiol. Chem., 1908, 54, 255-257. Compare Abstr., 1898, i, 617; 1901, i, 358; 190, i, 887)
3. Book: Thomas S. C., Li . Vegetables and Fruits: Nutritional and Therapeutic Values . CRC Press . 2008 . 41 . 978-1-4200-6871-9 .
4. Herbal Preparations as a Source of Hepatoprotective Agents. Drug News & Perspectives. 2001. Vishnu Ji. Ram. 14. 6. 353–63. 12813598. 2010-05-10 .