Patterns of fatty acid composition in seed oils of Cuphea, with new records from Brazil and Mexico

Abstract

Herbaceous flowering plants of the genus Cuphea (Lythraceae) are noted for synthesizing significant amounts of medium-chain caprylic, capric, lauric, and myristic fatty acids (FAs) in the seed oils, with each species typically emphasizing one of several FAs. The genus is a prospective temperate source of oilseeds for fatty acids used in the manufacture of products as diverse as soaps, food, and biofuels, and it has become a model research system for the study of enzyme-mediated fatty acid synthesis. Seed oil FA composition for 44 species is reported here, including first records for 25 species from South America, primarily from Brazil. Nineteen species are re-analyzed to verify earlier results and expand information on variability in oil composition. An appendix summarizes seed oil composition of 108

Cuphea Seed Oil as a Potential Alternative Natural Source of Medium-chain Triglycerides used for Healthier Cooking Applications

“…Seed oil FA composition for 44 species has been also reported by Shirley Graham et al [33] including first records for 25 species from South America, primarily from Brazil.…”

“…The greatest diversity of seed oils appears in North America in the most derived clade in the genus, where FAs from caprylic acid (C8:0) to linolenic acid dominate among the species [33].…”

Comparative fatty acid profiling of Indian seabuckthorn showed altitudinal gradient dependent species-specific variations

“…Similar quantitative variations were observed in Oliva cuspidate seeds [oleic (69.3-74.5%), linoleic (11.2-15.2%), palmitic (11.2-14.0%), linolenic (1.3-3.20%), palmitoleic (1.31-2.10%) stearic (0.1-0.2%), and linolenic acid (11.2-15.2%)] collected from different geographical locations in Pakistan (Gulfraz et al 2009). Likewise, variations (14-17%) in total FAs including lauric, myristic, oleic and linoleic acids are reported in 44 different species of Cuphea due to adaptive radiation, speciation, and habitats (Graham et al 2016). These observations indicate that both Trans and Sikkim Himalayan populations showed marked variations in their respective FA metabolic signatures which suggested altitudinal gradient associated differential acclimation responses.…”

The Genus Cuphea P. Browne as a Source of Biologically Active Phytochemicals for Pharmaceutical Application and Beyond—A Review

“…As mentioned above, Cuphea plants are a rich source of MCFAs. About 50% of the species produce lauric acid, which is the predominant fatty acid in South American Cupheas, while oils from North American species are more diverse [ 34 ]. The average oil content of wild Cupheas seeds ranges from 30 to 35%, while the oil content in the seeds of PSR23 ranges from about 27 to 33% [ 35 , 36 ].…”