CORN OIL (MAIZE OIL)

Corn oil is obtained from the embryos of zea mays linn. (family gramineae). Plant is an annual herb indigenous to S. America and cultivated word wide.
Description:
Corn oil is pale yellow oil with faint characteristic odour and taste.
Constituents:
It consists mainly of glycerides of oleic acid (19-45%) and linoleic acids (34-62%) and smaller quantities of myristic (0.1-1.7%), palmitic acid (8-12%), stearic acid (2.5-4.5%) and arachidic acid (0.5%) lignoceric (0.2%).
Physical and chemical characteristics:
Refractive Index: at 4C, 1.464-4.468, specific gravity: .914-0.921, Iodine Value: 102-128, saponification Value: 187-193, Acid Value: 2-6, Solubility: very slightly soluble in alcohol, miscible with ether, chloroform and light petroleum ether. Riechert Meisesl No.0.5.
Action and uses: It is an edible oil and because of its high contents of unsaturated fatty acids maize oil has been given as a constituent of diet instead of oil and fats with high concentration of saturated fatty acid in patient to reduce high blood cholesterol level. Corn oil is used as solvent for injections and as vehicles for pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations.