Bladderpod oil is a seed oil, extracted from the seeds of the Lesquerella fendleri

Lesquerella fendleri

Lesquerella fendleri is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by several common names, including Fendler's bladderpod, yellowtop, and, simply, lesquerella. It is best known as the richest source of bladderpod oil. Most Lesquerella species contain the hydroxy acid lesquerolic acid...

and other species of genus Lesquerella

Lesquerella

Lesquerella is a genus of flowering plants in the familyBrassicaceae. Some are referred to by the common name Bladderpod and bladderpod oil is extracted from the seeds of Lesquerella fendleri and certain other species in the genus....

, Native to the plains and mesas of southwestern United States, eastward to Kansas and southward into northern Mexico. Bladderpod oil is rich in lesquerolic acid (C20:1-OH) which is a hydroxy acid. The only commercial source of hydroxy acid is ricinoleic acid

Ricinoleic acid

Ricinoleic acid is an unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that naturally occurs in mature Castor plant seeds or in sclerotium of ergot . About 90% of the fatty acid content in castor oil is the triglyceride formed from ricinoleic acid...

 (C18:1-OH), found in castor oil

Castor oil

Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean . Castor oil is a colorless to very pale yellow liquid with mild or no odor or taste. Its boiling point is and its density is 961 kg/m3...

. Essentially all castor oil production in the U.S. has been eliminated by a combination of economic factors, excessive allergenic reactions of field and processing workers, and toxicity of the seed meal. The fatty acid

Fatty acid

In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...

 composition of bladderpod oil is:
! Fatty acid

Fatty acid

In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...

 !! Percentage
|-
| Palmitic

Palmitic acid

Palmitic acid, or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants. Its molecular formula is CH314CO2H. As its name indicates, it is a major component of the oil from palm trees . Palmitate is a term for the salts and esters of...

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1.5% |- | Palmitoleic Palmitoleic acid Palmitoleic acid, or -9-hexadecenoic acid, is an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid with the formula CH35CH=CH7COOH that is a common constituent of the glycerides of human adipose tissue. It is present in all tissues, but generally found in higher concentrations in the liver...

1.4% |- | Stearic Stearic acid Stearic acid is the saturated fatty acid with an 18 carbon chain and has the IUPAC name octadecanoic acid. It is a waxy solid, and its chemical formula is CH316CO2H. Its name comes from the Greek word στέαρ "stéatos", which means tallow. The salts and esters of stearic acid are called stearates...

2.4% |- | Oleic Oleic acid Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable fats. It has the formula CH37CH=CH7COOH. It is an odorless, colourless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. The trans isomer of oleic acid is called elaidic acid...

15.2% |- | Linoleic Linoleic acid Linoleic acid is an unsaturated n-6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature. In physiological literature, it has a lipid number of 18:2...

7.6% |- | Linolenic

13.1% |- | Ricinoleic Ricinoleic acid Ricinoleic acid is an unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that naturally occurs in mature Castor plant seeds or in sclerotium of ergot . About 90% of the fatty acid content in castor oil is the triglyceride formed from ricinoleic acid...

0.3% |- | Densipolic

0.2% |- | Lesquerolic

53.2% |- | Auricolic

Other species of Lesquerella

Lesquerella

Lesquerella is a genus of flowering plants in the familyBrassicaceae. Some are referred to by the common name Bladderpod and bladderpod oil is extracted from the seeds of Lesquerella fendleri and certain other species in the genus....

that yield similar oils include L. lindheimeri, L. densipilia, L. auriculata and L. pallida. L. fendleri is of particular interest because of the yields of 1,500 kg/ha that have been achieved in only a few years of cultivation.

Uses

The hydroxy acids contained in bladderpod oil are an important raw material used in the manufacture of resins, waxes, nylons, plastics, corrosion inhibitors, coatings, lubricating greases and cosmetics.