A team from the University of Nebraska-Linconl and from Huazhong Agricultural University has found that violet cress oil contains up to 50 % of two C-24 fatty acids as components of their seed oil. The two fatty acids were named nebraskanic acid and wuhanic acid. The fatty acids may be linked to one another through the hydroxyl groups to form a complex matrix. That unique assembly and structure could account for the corresponding oil’s superior performance as a lubricant, which was tested at the University of North Texas (UNT): compared with castor oil, the violet cress oil reduced friction between steel surfaces by 20 percent at 25 degrees Celsius and by about 300 percent at 100 degrees Celsius.
CAS news release, August 29, 2018
Fatty acids of Chinese violet cress seed oil