Beta-sitosterol is a substance found in plants and is normally called plant sterol ester while, Gamma Oryzonal is found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It is often used for lowering cholesterol level and improving symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Whereas gamma Oryzanol is a compound extracted from rice bran oil. It is present in wheat bran, as well as some fruits and vegetables (Fayaz et al., 2021, 1042). It is often used to treat excessive cholesterol and menopausal and ageing symptoms. Additionally, it is utilized to increase the levels of testosterone and growth hormone. Beta-sitosterol is not purified, however, high-performance liquid chromatography research showed that gamma-oryzanol is a complicated combination of several compounds (Li et al., 2018, 129). Although gamma-oryzanol has a predicted molecular weight of 602, its mass spectra with direct injection are 626. This is owing to the presence of impurities that raise its mass spectra.
The molecular ion peaks of sterol ferulates and their acetyl derivatives were not detected in these spectra. As a result, the mass spectrum and molecular weight of the gamma-oryzanol compound are out of phase. The base peaks were identified in the spectra of Acetate of free cholestyl ferulate (m/z 368), free campestyl ferulate (m/z 382), free stigmasterol ferulate (m/z 394), and free beta-sitosterol ferulate (m/z 396). These base peaks correspond to M-177.67 in ferulate spectra and M- (177.67+42) in ferulate acetyl derivative spectra. These peaks help to differentiate one steryl ferulate from another.
The characteristic ion of these steryl ferulates due to the formation of ferulic acid ion occured at m/z 177.67. The fragmentation patterns of the mass spectra of acetyl derivatives of steryl ferulates were similar to those of corresponding steryl ferulates, and the characteristic ions of these acetyl derivatives were not found. The molecular ion peaks were observed for each derivative in the mass spectra of trimethylsilyl ether derivatives of the steryl ferulates, but they were very small. Furthermore, the mass spectra of the mixture of campesteryl ferulate, β-sitosteryl ferulate and stigmasteryl ferulate, and of the oryzanol were investigated. It was found that the mass spectrum of oryzanol can be used for the qualitative analysis of the components in the mixture of ferulates from rice bran oil. There is no need of reacting sodium with gamma-oryzanol because of phenol group in oryzanol.
Since even molecular ions generate odd molecular fragments by breaking single bonds, the existence of the base peak at m/z 45 indicates that the peak at m/z 60 is certainly the molecular ion. For this reason, it is possible to identify the molecular ion by looking for typical fragmentation patterns. Logical losses must be the cause of the observed pieces. These logical pieces include things like the M – 15 peak from the loss of CH3, the M -18 peak from the loss of H20, and the M – 31 peak from the loss of OCH3. A peak does not seem to be the molecular ion, as suggested by the data. Peaks 3-14 mass units distant from the observed peak indicate that the detected peak is not likely the peak of a molecular ion. Up to 3 hydrogen atoms may lead to the loss of mass unit 1-3 pieces (Lupi et al., 2018, 405) The depletion of CH3, oxygen, a hydroxide ion, or water may explain several peaks between 14 and 18. Except for fluorinated chemicals, which generate M – 19 (loss of F) and M – 20 (loss of F), it is very improbable that fragments in the 19-25 range will be lost (loss of HF).
Reference List
Fayaz, G., Polenghi, O., Giardina, A., Cerne, V. and Calligaris, S., 2021. Structural and rheological properties of medium‐chain triacylglyceride oleogels. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 56(2), pp.1040-1047.
Li, S., Ma, C., Liu, J. and Si, T., 2018. Influence of distilled monoglycerides on the structure and property of γ-oryzanol and β-sitosterol organogel. Shipin Kexue/Food Science, 39(16), pp.126-132. Web.
Lupi, F.R., De Santo, M.P., Ciuchi, F., Baldino, N. and Gabriele, D., 2018. The role of edible oils in low molecular weight organogels rheology and structure. Food Research International, 111, pp.399-407.