Total lipid content and fatty acid composition of oilseed from lesser known sweet pomegranate clones

Abstract

The oil content and fatty acid composition of the oilseed of seven lesser known Spanish sweet pomegranate (Punica granatum L) clones were determined by gas chromatography. The seeds contained oil in the range of about 63–122 g kg−1 dry matter, a notably lower content than that of some oriental pomegranate cultivars. Levels of lipid content probably could be considered insufficient for economic industrial exploitation compared with those of conventional oilseeds. The predominant fatty acid was the polyunsaturate (n − 3) linolenic acid (43.4–88.2%), followed by the diunsaturate linoleic (5.3–16.5%), the monounsaturate oleic (3.7–20.3%) and palmitoleic (traces to 2.9%) acids. To a lesser extent the saturates palmitic (2.6–14.9%) and stearic (1.2–9.0%) acids were also found in all clones. Lauric and arachidic acids were rarely detected. We have not confirmed the presence of behenic (C22:0) and lignoceric (C24:0) acids previously reported in edible and non‐edible pomegranate cultivars. Intervarietal differences in fatty acid composition were shown and they could be useful to establish chemotaxonomic differences. In contrast with previous reports on sweet pomegranate cultivars, a very low (0.04–0.35) saturated/unsaturated fatty acid ratio was found. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry

A Review Study on Punica granatum L

“…It also prevents invasion of cancer cells and also can strengthen and encourage apoptosis. 13 Extracted polyphenols of pomegranate seed oil can potentially prevent cyclooxygenase activity; however, these activities were not observed in the polyphenols of fermented extract. 20,40 Inactivation of the mentioned enzyme prevents the proliferation of breast cancer cells, its severity, and also the transformation of mammals' alveoli tissue (milk-producing units) to cancer mode.…”

“…The ratios of fatty acids vary between 63 and 272 g/ kg dry weight of seed among different varieties. 13 In the most studied cultivars of pomegranate the predominant fatty acids are linolenic (74% to 88%) and linoleic acid (5% to 16%).…”

“…13 Pomegranate seeds oil include steroidal estrogens (g-tocopherol, 17-a-estradiol, stigmasterol, b-estriol sitosterol, and testosterone) nonsteroidal compounds (compestrol, coumestrol). 15 …”

“…36 Pomegranate seed oil consists of 80% conjugated fatty acids, particularly punic acid and octadecatri enoic acid. 13,37 Punic acid acts as an inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis as well as a cytotoxin for cancer w2a cells; such activity is possibly due to the inhibitory effect against fat peroxidation. Punic acid of pomegranate seed oil inhibits prostaglandin biosynthesis (promote ornithine decarboxylase enzyme activity at lower concentration).…”

The Genetic, Biochemical, Nutritional and Antimicrobial Characteristics of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Grown in Istria

“…Conjugated linolenic acid, which is a collective term for the positional and geometric isomers of octadecatrienoic acid (C18:3), amounted to 78.4 % of all of the fatty acids determined in the pomegranate seed oil. These results are in agreement with the literature (49)(50)(51). According to Sassano et al (49), considering all of the geometric isomers of the determined octadecatrienoic acid, punicic acid is by far the most abundant fatty acid in pomegranate seed oil, as it can amount to 72 % of all of the determined fatty acids.…”