The current study investigates the influence of fruit maturity on Phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate content in Jatropha seed oil as well as seed cake. Jatropha fruits used in this study were harvested from three different geographical locations in Botswana at four different fruit maturity stages, namely green yellow, yellow, yellow brown and brown dry. Phorbol esters in Jatropha seed oil and seed cake were quantified using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. Results from this study reveal that phorbol ester content in Jatropha seeds varies with fruit maturity stage. Phorbol ester content in Jatropha seed oil and seed cake from yellow brown fruits had the highest value, hence was the most toxic. Phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate content in Jatropha seed oil ranges from 3.4 to 4.2 mg/g whereas in seed cake it ranges from 1.7 to 2.0 mg/g during the four different fruit maturity stages investigated. Influence of geographical location on Phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate content in Jatropha seeds is insignificant.

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