Behenic acid (also docosanoic acid) is a

carboxylic acid In organic chemistry, a carboxylic acid is an organic acid that contains a carboxyl group () attached to an R-group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is or , with R referring to the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or other group. Carboxylic ...

, the saturated

fatty acid In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...

with formula C₂₁H₄₃COOH. In appearance, it consists of white solid although impure samples appear yellowish.

Sources

At 9%, it is a major component of

ben oil Ben oil is pressed from the seeds of the ''Moringa oleifera'', known variously as the horseradish tree, ben oil tree, or drumstick tree. The oil is characterized by an unusually long shelf life and a mild, but pleasant taste. The name of the oil i ...

(or behen oil), which is extracted from the seeds of the

drumstick tree ''Moringa oleifera'' is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree of the family Moringaceae, native to the Indian subcontinent. Common names include moringa, drumstick tree (from the long, slender, triangular seed-pods), horseradish tree (from th ...

(''Moringa oleifera''). It is so named from the

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

month ''

Bahman Bahman ( fa, بهمن, ) is the eleventh and penultimate month of the Solar Hijri calendar, the official calendar of Iran and Afghanistan. Bahman has thirty days. It begins in January and ends in February of the Gregorian calendar. The month ...

'', when the roots of this tree were harvested. Behenic acid is also present in some other oils and oil-bearing plants, including

rapeseed Rapeseed (''Brassica napus ''subsp.'' napus''), also known as rape, or oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains a ...

(

canola Close-up of canola blooms Canola flower Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, ...

) and

peanut oil Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable oil derived from peanuts. The oil usually has a mild or neutral flavor but, if made with roasted peanuts, has a stronger peanut flavor and aroma. It is often used in America ...

and skins. It is estimated that one ton of peanut skins contains of behenic acid.USDA Scientists Find Treasure in Peanut Skins
.

Properties

As a dietary oil, behenic acid is poorly absorbed. In spite of its low bioavailability compared with

oleic acid Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega ...

, behenic acid is a

cholesterol Cholesterol is any of a class of certain organic molecules called lipids. It is a sterol (or modified steroid), a type of lipid. Cholesterol is biosynthesized by all animal cells and is an essential structural component of animal cell mem ...

-raising saturated fatty acid in humans.Nilo B Cater and Margo A Denke, January 2001
Behenic acid is a cholesterol-raising saturated fatty acid in humans
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, v 73, No. 1, pp 41-44..

Uses

Commercially, behenic acid is often used to give hair conditioners and

moisturizer A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb ''m ...

s their smoothing properties. It is also used in lubricating oils, and as a solvent evaporation retarder in paint removers. Its amide is used as an anti-foaming agent in

detergent A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with cleansing properties when in dilute solutions. There are a large variety of detergents, a common family being the alkylbenzene sulfonates, which are soap-like compounds that are more ...

s, floor polishes and dripless

candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candles i ...

s. Reduction of behenic acid yields

behenyl alcohol 1-Docosanol, also known as behenyl alcohol, is a saturated fatty alcohol containing 22 carbon atoms, used traditionally as an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener in cosmetics. In July 2000, docosanol was approved for medical use in the United ...

Pracaxi oil ''Pentaclethra macroloba'' is a large and common leguminous tree in the genus ''Pentaclethra'' native to the wet tropical areas of the northern Neotropics, which can form monocultural stands in some seasonally flooded habitats. It has giant, bip ...

(from the seeds of '' Pentaclethra macroloba'') is a natural product with one of the highest concentrations of behenic acid, and is used in hair conditioners.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Behenic Acid Fatty acids Alkanoic acids

Sources

Properties

Uses

See also

References