Rare fatty acids and lipids in plant oilseeds: occurrence and bioactivity

Abstract

Lipids are biomolecules which are present in plants as general metabolites with different functions such as structural, protective and also as storage material. Plants produce a high number of different fatty acids: the most common structural types are long linear hydrocarbon chains, saturated or unsaturated with an even number of carbon atoms. In addition, plants accumulate rare fatty acids with reference to their occurrence and to their structures such as number and arrangement of unsaturated bonds, chain branches, type of functional groups, cyclic structures and halogenation. Their presence is limited in plant leaves, roots or stems, while they are mostly found as components of storage seed oils. The present review aims to describe the structural features of selected unusual rare fatty acids occurring in plants, their bioactivity and applications as pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and non-food industrial products. Cyanolipids, a group of rare natural lipids containing a cyanogenic group in the molecule and only found in seed oils of a few plant species are also commented.

Assessment of Cucurbita spp. Peel Extracts as Potential Sources of Active Substances for Skin Care and Dermatology

“…Furthermore, the investigated samples are good sources of fatty acids—both saturated, such as palmitic acid, but also unsaturated ones, such as palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, that were found in the analyzed extracts in high quantities. As previously described, fatty acids induce a positive effect towards the skin cells by their protective and anti-inflammatory actions [ 30 ]. In the former studies, palmitoleic acid, the omega-7 monounsaturated acid that was proven to regulate the cytokine and type IV collagen levels [ 31 ], linoleic acid, the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid that was found to be an efficient emollient and thickening agent [ 32 ], and palmitic acid, one of the most prevalent saturated oils of vegetable origin, were described as ingredients in hair- and skin-care products for their moisturizing and texturizing properties [ 33 ].…”

Natural Products Containing the Nitrile Functional Group and Their Biological Activities

“…The cyanolipids (CLs) represent a further category of natural nitriles, and are derived through amino acid (leucine) metabolism. 93 They occur alongside acylglycerols and triacylglicerides in seed oils of members of the Boraginaceae, the Hippocastanaceae, and the Sapindaceae. Four types of CL structures ( 160 - 163 ) may be defined (Figure 17) with fatty acids esterified to a mono or a dihydroxynitrile moiety.…”

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) Derivatization-Based Methods for the Determination of Fatty Acids in Biological Samples

“…Such uncommon (rare) FAs are usually found at low concentrations; however they exert interesting bioactivities. These uncommon FAs include odd-chain, branched and cyclic FAs [ 8 ] and FAs bearing functional groups such as hydroxy [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], oxo [ 13 , 14 ], epoxy [ 15 , 16 ] and nitro [ 17 , 18 ].…”