Phycochemical studies on Scinaia fascicularis (Bonnemaisoniales, Rhodophyta)

The sterol composition of marine red alga, Scinaia fascicularis (Bphirg.) Huisman has been studied and cholesta-5, 20, 24-trien-3beta-ol, 22-dehydrocholesterol, brassicasterol, 24-methylene cholesterol, 24-methyl cholesterol, nor 31-cycloartanol, ergost-5-en-3,25-diol and lanostan-3beta-ol were identified through mass and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. All of them were present in more or less equal amount. The fatty acid methyl esters, analysed through GC-MS, were found to be methyl laurate, tridecylate, myristate, pentadecylate, palmitate, margarate, stearate and nonadecylate. Methyl myristate was present in largest and laurate in smallest quantity, no unsaturated fatty acid could be detected.