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Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochist.) is an oilseed crop with high in euricic acid with industrial uses in production of biodiesel, nylon, plasticizers, and lubricants. Little information is available about Crambe response to phosphorus and potassium fertilization. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of phosphate (25 and 50 P2O5 kg Fed.−1) and potassium (10 and 20 K2O kg Fed.−1) fertilization on the growth characteristics and oil quality of Crambe plants. The experiment had a randomized complete block design, and it was carried out in the Experimental Station of National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt in 2019 and 2020. The results showed that the application of potassium and/or phosphorus fertilization resulted in significant increases of all vegetative growth traits, such as plant height, number of branches, fresh weight, and dry weight as well as fixed oil content. The GC analysis of fatty acid identified eight compounds in the following order of main averages; erucic acid (50.5%), elaidic acid (23.1%), Linoleic acid (10.9%), linolenic acid (6.5%), palmitic acid (4.8%), eicosanoic acid (1.9%), stearic acid (1.3%), and oleic acid (1.0%). Phosphorus and potassium had opposite effect on the main components of Crambe oil. Erucic acid increased with potassium fertilization and decreased with phosphorus fertilization. Contrast results were shown in Elaidic acid in response to potassium and phosphorus fertilizations. These results suggested the positive effect of both potassium and phosphorus fertilization on growth and oil yield of Crambe plants as well as they considered as limited factors for Erucic acid content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to its leaf, few studies have been reported on the seeds of Moringa oleifera Lam. Metabolites profiling analysis of M. oleifera seed methanolic extract (ME) and its fixed oil (MO) was attempted via LC/MS and GC/MS. LC/MS analysis of M. oleifera seeds annotated 84 peaks of which glucosinolates and their corresponding acetyl isomers were abundant. GC/MS of seed oil revealed the abundance of fatty acids with oleic acid at 34.3%. ME exhibited significant anti-Helicobacter pylori activity with MIC50 0.92 µg/mL, nearly one-half that of Clarithromycin. Fixed oil (MO) showed a nonselective anti-inflammatory effect with IC50= 24.4 ± 0.8 µg/mL correlated to Ibuprofen. To unravel the mechanism of the anti-H. pylori activity a molecular docking study of the principal components of the ME has been performed, using H. pylori urease enzyme. Interactions with Ni2+ ions and amino acid residue in the active site, which are crucial for the enzyme's biochemical role, are evidenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the chemical composition and the nutritional properties of fixed oils extracted from seeds and pericarps of the medicinal plant Whitania somnifera. W. somnifera wild germplasm was collected in Sardinia (Italy) and cultivated in Campidano subregion (Southern Sardinia). The main fatty acids of seed oil were 18:2 n-6 (53%, 73.6 mg/g of dry weight), 18:1 n-9 (21%, 29.3 mg/g of dry weight), 16:0 (19%), and 18:0 (4%). Trilinolein and dilinolein derivatives represented the main seed oil triacylglycerols. Linoleic (40%, 67.7 mg/g of dry weight), oleic (29%, 48.7 mg/g of dry weight), palmitic (22%), stearic (4%) and α-linolenic (3%), were the main fatty acids in pericarp oil, with higher total level of monounsaturated fatty acids than seed oil, while monolinolein and dilinolein derivatives represented the main triacylglycerols. The results of this study qualify Sardinian W. somnifera berries as an interesting source of oils with nutritional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of volatile and fixed oil from milled parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) seeds, using CO2 as solvent, is presented in this study. Extraction experiments were carried out in two steps: at pressures of (90 or 300) bar and temperature of 40 °C. The first extraction step, performed at 90 bar, produced a volatile fraction mainly formed by apiole (82.1%) and myristicin (11.4%). The volatile oil yield was 2.6% by weight of the charge. The second extraction step, carried out at 300 bar produced a fixed oil at a yield of 0.4% by weight. The most represented fatty acids in P. crispum fixed oil were 18:1 n-12 (49.9%), 18:2 n-6 (18.2%), 18:1 n-9 (11.8%), and 16:0 (7.4%). In particular, the unsaturated fatty acids 18:1 n-12 and 18:1 n-9 averaged 182.2 mg/g and 92.1 mg/g of oil extract, respectively. The quality of the oils extracted by SFE, in terms of its chemical composition, was compared to the oils obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) in a Clevenger apparatus and by solvent extraction (SE) using n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus. The antioxidant properties were determined by means of the ABTS assay. The results indicated that the fixed oil possessed low antioxidant activity (EC50 = 0.4 mg/mL) and the volatile oil had no antioxidant activity. The total phenolic content, expressed as concentration of gallic acid (gallic acid equivalent, GAE), of the fixed oil was 1.5 mg/g. The fixed oil found to have inhibitory effects against α-glucosidase, the volatile oil is active on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), tyrosinase, and α-glucosidase. Both samples have weak inhibitory activity on α-amylase and no activity on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Within the global context of increasing cancer diseases, natural products are important in devising new drugs and providing unique ideas in cancer therapy. In Tunisian folk medicine,Pistacia lentiscusL. (Anacardiaceae) fixed oil is used for cancer treatment. Objective:This investigation studied, for the first time, the antiproliferative effect ofPistacia lentiscusfixed oil and its phenolic extract on BHK21 cancer cells. Materials and methods:Oil was extracted from fruits harvested in northwest Tunisia and the phenolic fraction was obtained by mixing with methanol. The anti-proliferative activity of the two tested substances on BHK 21 cells were investigatedin vitrousing trypan blue assays. Cells were treated with different concentrations ofP. lentiscusoil (0.009, 0.018, 0.036, and 0.09 g/mL) and the phenolic extract (0.007, 0.014, 0.03, and 0.07 g/mL) for 24, 48, and 72 h. Results:The inhibitory effect ofPistacia lentiscusfixed oil increases with the increase in dose. The IC50value was estimated at 0.029 g/mL. The percentage of cell viability was 42.46 ± 3.4% at a dose of 0.09 g/mL and was significantly lower than that of the untreated control (96.24 ± 2.5%,p<0.01). The phenolic extract demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on BHK21 cell growth. After 48 h of incubation, the IC50value was estimated at 0.15 g/mL. Discussion and conclusion:The results demonstrated the potential ofPistacia lentiscusfixed oil in treating cancer, as it is used in traditional medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, we aim to study, for the first time, the effect of the growing area on tocopherols, carotenoids and fatty acid content ofPistacia lentiscusfixed oil. Fruits were harvested from eight different sites located in the north and the centre of Tunisia. Tocopherols, carotenoids and fatty acid content of the fixed oils were determined. The highest carotenoid content was exhibited by Feija oil (10.57 mg/kg of oil). Oueslatia and Tabarka oils displayed the highest α-tocopherol content (96.79 and 92.79 mg/kg of oil, respectively). Three major fatty acids were determined: oleic, palmitic and linoleic acids. Oleic acid was the main fatty acid presenting more than 50% of the total fatty acid content. Kebouche oil presented the highest oleic acid content (55.66%). All these results highlight the richness of carotenoids, tocopherols and unsaturated fatty acids inP. lentiscusseed oil and underscore the nutritional value of this natural product. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Different parts of Ocimum sanctum have been used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammation. The anti-inflammatory activity of the fixed oil of Ocimum sanctum was investigated by carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats following intraperitoneal as well as local administration. Observation revealed that the oil in doses of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 ml/kg (i.p.),significantly reduced carrageenin-induced paw edema in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition by the higher dose (3.0 ml/kg) of oil was comparable to that observed with standard drug, phenylbutazone (100mg/kg). When fixed oil (0.1 ml) was administered with carrageenin (0.1 ml) as a mixture into rat paw, it was observed that the edema was significantly reduced, and the effect was similar to identical administration of phenylbutazone (10 mg) and carrageenin. The oil also reduced typhoid-paratyphoid A/B vaccine-induced pyrexia and, at a dose level of 3.0 ml/kg, the antipyretic activity was similar to that of aspirin (100 mg/ kg). The LD50 value as observed in the acute toxicity study in mice was 42.5 ml/kg. Sub-acute toxicity did not indicate any significant untoward effect following administration for a longer period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analgesic activity of fixed oil from the seeds of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) was studied after intraperitoneal injection in mice and rats using the tail flick, tail clip, tail immersion and acetic acid-induced writhing methods; results were compared with morphine and aspirin. It was found that O. sanctum failed to raise the pain threshold which indicated that analgesic activity is not centrally mediated. Using the acetic acid-induced writhing method, the oil showed significant inhibition in a dose-dependent manner suggesting its possible mechanism related to the peripheral system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]