Fatty acid composition of phospholipids in seed oils containing unusual acids

In oilseeds whose glycerides carry common fatty acids (groundnut, sweet almond, cotton-seed, soyabean, safflower, sunflower and sesame), the constituent fatty acids of phospholipids were qualitatively but not quantitatively the same. Even when present in quantity in the triglyceride, unusual fatty acids like erucic (mustard, nasturtium, turnip), arachidic (soapnut), petroselinic (coriander) or conjugated trienes (bitter gourd, snake gourd) were totally or substantially absent in the corresponding phospholipids. In all the 14 seed oil phospholipids studied, the main fatty acids were always palmitic (17–43%), oleic (16–57%) and linoleic (10–34%).     

Litchi chinensis fatty acid diversity: occurrence of the unusual cyclopropanoic fatty acids

Litchi chinensis (Sapindaceae) is a tree that originates from China and is cultivated for its sweet fruits all over the world in warm climates. Unusual fatty acids such as cyclopropanoic fatty acids have been identified in the seeds of Litchi. Because of their potential value for industry (as inks, cosmetics, detergents, lubricants, etc.), the variability in the relative levels of unusual fatty acids in the seeds of 28 different Litchi varieties was analysed at two locations (on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean) and on two different harvest dates. Except for one variety, all the seeds contained cis-9,10-methylene-octadecanoic acid (C(19)CA) at a relative level of 35-48%. The only variety that contained no or only traces of C(19)CA was Groff, seeds of which were significantly much smaller than those from all other varieties.     

松属植物种子油脂肪酸的分布及化学分类探讨

用气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)方法分析了6种双维管束松亚属树种:赤松(Pinus densiflora Sieb.etZucc.)、黑松(P.thambergii Parl.)、油松(P.tabulaeformis Carr.)、巴山松(P.henryi Mast.)、黄山松(P.taiwanensis Hayata)、马尾松(P.massoniana Lamb.)和2种单维管束松亚属树种:白皮松(P.bungeanaZucc.)及红松(P.koraiensis Sieb.et Zucc.)的种子油脂肪酸成分。结果表明这8种松属植物的种子油脂肪酸成分有相似的分布情况:最主要成分都是亚油酸C_(18:2(9,12));都同时含有3种Δ~5的不饱和脂肪酸:C_(18:2(5,9)),C_(18:3(5,9,12))和C_(20:3(5,11,14))。这两个特征可以作为松属(Pinus L.)的化学分类证据。结果还表明同一属内各种间的种子油脂肪酸成分无明显差别。     

Comparative analysis of fatty acids in pollen and seed of rapeseed

Lipids accounted for 31.7% of the dry wt of mature, viable pollen of rapeseed (Brassica napus). External lipids of the pollen coat, specified by the diploid parental genome, and internal cytoplasmic lipids, presumably specified by the haploid pollen genome, were separated by differential extraction. External lipids and paraffins represented 9.8 % of pollen dry wt, and contained predominantly linolenic (18:3) with significant amounts of palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0) and myristic (14:0) acids, as well as paraffins. Internal lipids accounted for 21.9% of pollen dry wt and comprised predominantly 18:3 and 16:0. Mature seeds of B. napus comprised 45.0 % lipid, with a fatty acid composition different from that of either pollen fraction. Decanoic (10:0), lauric (12:0) and hexadecatrienoic (16:3) acids were detected in pollen but not in seeds. These data are discussed in relation to pollen biochemistry and the potential for pollen selection in rapeseed breeding.     

Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils and cardiovascular disease

Fish and fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relation between the dietary consumption of fish containing EPA/DHA and mortality from coronary heart disease. These relationships have been substantiated from blood measures of omega-3 fatty acids including DHA as a physiological biomarker for omega-3 fatty acid status. Controlled intervention trials with fish oil supplements enriched in EPA/DHA have shown their potential to reduce mortality in post-myocardial infarction patients with a substantial reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death. The cardioprotective effects of EPA/DHA are widespread, appear to act independently of blood cholesterol reduction, and are mediated by diverse mechanisms. Their overall effects include anti-arrhythmic, blood triglyceride-lowering, anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, endothelial relaxation, plus others. Current dietary intakes of EPA/DHA in North America and elsewhere are well below those recommended by the American Heart Association for the management of patients with coronary heart disease. (Mol Cell Biochem 263: 217–225, 2004)     

The distribution of fatty acids including petroselinic and tariric acids in the fruit and seed oils of the Pittosporaceae, Araliaceae, Umbelliferae, Simarubaceae and Rutaceae

The fatty acid composition of the fruit oils or seed oils of Pittosporaceae (eight genera, 10 species), Araliaceae (two species), Simarubaceae (three species), and of one umbelliferous and one rutaceous species were determined by gas chromatography, argentation TLC and ozonolysis. In the Pittosporaceae, in which the major C₁₈ fatty acid of all species was either oleic acid (18:1, 9c) or linoleic acid (18:2, 9c, 12c), large amounts of C₂₀ and C₂₂ fatty acids seem to occur regularly. Petroselinic (18:1, 6c) and tariric (18:1, 6a) acids were absent. However, petroselinic acid was the major fatty acid in the Araliaceae and Umbelliferae. In these two families only small amounts of C₂₀ and C₂₂ acids were detected and tariric acid was absent. The Rutales contained relatively high amounts of trans-octadecenoic acids (18:1, 9t). Tariric acid was the major fatty acid in the two species of Picramnia (Simarubraceae), which also contained small amounts of petroselinic acid. The major fatty acids in Ailanthus glandulosa (Simarubaceae) and Phellodendron amurense (Rutaceae) were linoleic or linolenic acid (18:3, 9c, 12c, 15c); these species contained neither tariric nor petroselinic acid and the levels of C₂₀ and C₂₂ fatty acids were low. The appearance of schizogenous resin canals and polyacetylenes and the absence of iridoids and petroselinic acid allows the Pittosporaceae to be separated from the Rutales and Araliales and to be placed in an independent order, the Pittosporales. Arguments for a rather close relationship of the Pittosporales to the Araliales and Cornales (including the Escalloniaceae) are presented.     

Distribution of seed fatty acids and the taxonomy of Vochysiaceae

The distribution of seed fatty acids of 16 species of Vochysiaceae native to Brazil, corresponding to the genera Callisthene, Qualea, Salvertia and Vochysia, and amounting to 57 samples, were studied. The methyl esters of the fatty acids were analyzed by GC–EIMS. For most species, fatty acid patterns are seemingly useful for species characterization. Intraspecific variability of samples of Salvertia grandiflora seems to have geographic significance. With one exception, palmitic and oleic acids predominate in the fatty acids distribution of Qualea and Callisthene. Q. grandiflora possesses exceptional amounts of lauric acid. Relatively high amounts of either C_20–C₂₂ (saturated or monounsaturated) or stearic acids characterize Salvertia and Vochysia. UPGMA analysis of fatty acids distribution based on Euclidean distances resulted in a cluster combining Callisthene and all samples of Qualea, except Q. grandiflora. Samples of Vochysia are combined into several clusters. The dendrogram is suggestive of taxonomic relationships, allowing the distinction of taxa down to the sub-sectional level. V. pyramidalis, from section Ciliantha, subsection Ferrugineae, has closer chemical affinities with species of section Vochysiella, subsection Decorticantes. Comparing with monomers of polysaccharide seed cell walls of Vochysiaceae, fatty acid patterns revealed lower intraspecific variability and higher taxonomic resolution.     

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

Phytochemistry Reviews - Lipids are biomolecules which are present in plants as general metabolites with different functions such as structural, protective and also as storage material. Plants...     

Ecogeographic variation in seed fatty acids of Austrocedrus chilensis

Seed megagametophyte fatty acids were analyzed for proportional composition in 104 trees from 13 natural populations of Austrocedrus chilensis in Andean Chile and Argentina, using gas-liquid chromatography. A total of 15 fatty acids were identified from their methyl esters by GC retention times and by mass spectroscopy and included, as major compounds, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and cis-5,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoic acids. Multivariate analyses indicated a separation of xeric zone populations (mediterranean Chile and the Argentinean steppe ecotone) from mesic populations (Argentinean Lakes and southern range in Chilean rainforest). These differences were associated with a greater abundance of C20 unsaturated rated acids in the mesic group. Differentiation among mediterranean Chilean populations was relatively high, perhaps as a result of their disjunct distribution. There was no evidence for lower levels of within-population variation for these isolated northern populations.