Morphological and Chemical Differentiation between Tunisian Populations of Pinus halepensis, Pinus brutia, and Pinus pinaster

Abstract

The lipid fraction of seeds from different pine species and populations was studied regarding total lipid content, fatty acid profile and vitamin E composition. The investigated seeds contained a high percentage of lipid (13.6 to 31.5 %). Lipid fractions were found to be rich in vitamin E, which varied significantly among species and populations. P. halepensis (Ph−Hn) showed the highest content of vitamin E (256.3 mg/kg of seeds) and the uppermost content of α‐tocopherol (44 mg/kg). However, P. halepensis (Ph−Kas) was the richest in γ‐tocopherol (204.9 mg/kg). Lipid fractions had a low content of δ‐tocopherol (1.2 to 3.6 mg/kg. The highest content of γ‐tocotrienol (∼18 %) was determined for P. halepensis (Ph−Dc and Ph−Hn). Thirteen fatty acids were identified by GC‐FID with significant variation between the investigated species. The linoleic acid was the major fatty acid followed by oleic acid and palmitic acid. The chemical differentiation among species for the composition of fatty acids and vitamin E was confirmed by PCA. Significant correlations were observed between the content of vitamin E and fatty acids and ecological parameters of P. halepensis populations.

Impact of Altitudinal Variation on the Phytochemical Profile, Anthelmintic and Antimicrobial Activity of Two Pinus Species

“…Essential oils have several medicinal properties that could be useful in the pharmaceutical field. Environmental factors have a great impact on the essential oil yield, composition, and, consequently, its biological activity [ 4 , 13 ]. This can be recognized from different earlier reports [ 6 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

“…Several studies have previously dealt with the constituents of P. halepensis and P. pinea needles, but the composition of the essential oil usually varies due to the geographic location, climatic conditions, and the time of collection; this may also affect its biological potential [ 4 , 9 , 12 , 13 ]. To the best of our knowledge, no comparative study has been published related to the chemical composition and anthelmintic and antimicrobial activities of P. halepensis and P. pinea essential oils in Libya, reflecting the impact of geographic difference and ecological conditions.…”

The effect of geographic location and seed storage time on the content of fatty acids in stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) seeds

“…In a study comparing the fatty acids of Pinus halepensis, Pinus brutia and Pinus pinaster seeds, it was found that the seeds of P. halepensis and P. brutia were significantly richer than those of P. pinaster in terms of α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, γ-tocotrienol, and δ-tocopherol. The same study revealed that while P. halepensis seeds had the highest α-tocopherol content, P. brutia seeds contained a higher amount of γ-tocopherol than other species (Khouja et al 2021). However, the composition of fatty acids may differ between individuals of the same species grown in different locations.…”

Fatty Acid Profiles and Biological Activities of the Vegetable Oils of Argania spinosa, Pinus halepensis and Pistacia atlantica Grown in Tunisia: A Preliminary Study

“…P. halepensis is a species widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin and is used in traditional medicine to treat sexual problems, as an anti-inflammatory, and as an antidiabetic [ 5 ]. This oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the main components of linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids (about 5%) [ 6 , 7 ]. This oil exhibits antioxidant activity and can delay the progression of chronic diseases [ 8 ].…”