Nutritional Content and Antioxidant Capacity of the Seed and the Epicarp in Different Ecotypes of Pistacia atlantica Desf. Subsp. atlantica

Abstract

Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites that occur naturally in all plants. Seeds are among the richest organs of plants in phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. These compounds and their biological activities are of great importance for human health. This study aimed to analyze the phenolic composition and their antioxidant activity in the seeds and epicarps of six Algerian populations of Pistacia atlantica Desf. subsp. atlantica growing along an aridity gradient from semi-arid to Saharan environmental conditions. Higher phenolic contents were observed in epicarp compared to seeds whatever the ecotype. The highest phenolic content of seeds and epicarps was observed in ecotype of Djelfa and the lowest values in Tiaret (T-Z). Phenolic composition, measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), showed that quercetin in epicarp, gallic and chlorogenic acids in seeds were the most present in all ecotypes. Large differences were observed between ecotypes for nutritional values. Seeds were rich in flavonoids, proteins, carbohydrates and essential elements such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. These results highlighted the potential importance of Atlas pistachio fruits as a source of essential compounds that contribute to human health. Moreover, this underused species may serve a potential source for antioxidant components for alimentation and cosmetics purposes.

Biochemical Profile and In Vitro Therapeutic Properties of Two Euhalophytes, Halocnemum strobilaceum Pall. and Suaeda fruticosa (L.) Forske., Grown in the Sabkha Ecosystem in the Algerian Sahara

“…Beta vulgaris L. (root) contains catechol, ferulic acid, o-Coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, myricetin, neringenin, coumarin acid, resorcinol, and naphthaline, which are also absent in both H. strobilaceum and S. fruticosa extracts. These compounds have been reported to possess various biological activities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities [35][36][37], suggesting that the studied plants may not have the same potential as Beta vulgaris L. (root) in terms of their bioactive compound content.…”

Genetic Variation in Damaged Populations of Pistacia atlantica Desf.

“…A voucher specimen was deposited in the herbarium of the Scientific and Technical Research Centre for Arid Areas (CRSTRA), Biskra, Algeria (006CRSTRA0002). Details of the ecological factors for each collection site are reported in Labdelli et al [3]. Batna (B)-Bechar (A) ~899 Km; Tiaret (T)-Djelfa (D) ~198 Km; Tiaret (T)-Bechar (A) ~563 Km; and Djelfa (D)-Bechar (A) ~604 Km.…”

“…The genus Pistacia, Anacardiaceae family consists of at least 11 dioecious species [1], four of these being found in North Africa, including Algeria (Pistacia vera L., P. terebinthus L., P. lentiscus L., and P. atlantica Desf.). Pistachio (P. vera L.) is known for its economic value in agriculture as a nut crop [2][3][4]. The other three species possess ecological importance in addition to their use as medicinal plants and sources of feed for animals and birds [4].…”

“…The Atlas pistachio (P. atlantica Desf.) is used for its leaves and fruits that have high nutritional value, and the wood is also used in handicrafts, 2 of 11 in carpentry, and for firewood [2][3][4][5]. Pistacia atlantica Desf.…”

“…Based on this fact, it is urgent to proceed with an assessment of the genetic variability of this species to adopt the appropriate strategies for its preservation. It is becoming of greater importance to explore genetic diversity and population relationships of endangered plant species, especially those with slow growth and high morphological and biochemical variation [3,7,9], as in the case of Atlas pistachio.…”