The Antioxidant of Lettuce

The unsaponifiable lipids of lettuce were fractionally crystallized from a number of organic solvents. The distribution of vitamin E was determined by the effects on female rats on a sterility producing ration; that of the antioxidant, by the capacity to prolong the induction period of an autoxidizable fat mixture. The antioxidant could be separated by extracting a petroleum ether solution with 92% methyl alcohol. A concentrate of the antioxidant was secured by distillation in vacuo, and the compound crystallized from the fraction distilling from 160-180°. It was purified by crystallization from CHC13. Formula: C13H14O5, M.P. 142°. It contains one or more phenolic groups