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Lipids of the hexane extract from the roots of medicinal boraginaceous species
Author(s) -
Papageorgiou Vassilios P.,
Assimopoulou Andrea.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
phytochemical analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1099-1565
pISSN - 0958-0344
DOI - 10.1002/pca.712
Subject(s) - chemistry , phytochemical , stearic acid , fatty acid , oleic acid , botany , palmitic acid , linoleic acid , traditional medicine , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biology , medicine
The chemical compositions of hexane extracts of the lipid fraction of the roots of the medicinal Boraginaceous species Alkanna tinctoria, Onosma heterophylla, Macrotomia densiora and Onosma hispidium are presented and their phytochemical relevance evaluated. The predominating fatty acids in all of the root lipids were stearic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic and γ ‐linolenic acids, while the latter and stearidonic acid predominated in the seeds and leaves of various Boraginaceous species. The indigenous presence of methyl, ethyl and isopropyl esters of fatty acids, reported for the rst time in the roots of higher plants, is considered to be of particular importance in the biosynthesis of fatty substances. The results suggest the use of fatty acids as chemotaxonomic markers for Boraginaceous species and the utilisation of Boraginaceous species as new commercial sources for fatty acids with valuable medicinal and nutritional properties. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.