Turkish Journal of Botany
DOI
-
Abstract
In this study, the fatty acid, tocopherol and tocotrienol composition in the seed oil of Cannabis sativa L., which is traded under the common name hemp seed oil, were determined by using GLC and HPLC techniques. While \alpha- linolenic, linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid were the main fatty acid components, \gamma - linolenic (18:3 n-6) and stearidonic acid (18:4 n-3) were found as unusual minor fatty acids in the seed oil. \gamma - linolenic acid is an important fatty acid used both as a healthy nutrient and as a therapeutic agent. The occurrence of this fatty acid in some plant groups may have practical consequences with respect to genetic engineering or plant breeding for renewable lipid resources and may be of significant interest in plant chemotaxonomy and evolution. While the hemp seed oil was rich in tocopherols, particularly \gamma- tocopherol, tocotrienols were not present. The chemotaxonomic importance of the fatty acids and tocochromanols (tocopherol and tocotrienols) was discussed in the family (Cannabaceae) pattern.
Keywords
Cannabaceae, Cannabis sativa L., Chemotaxonomy, Fatty Acids, Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, gamma-Linolenic Acid, Stearidonic Acid
First Page
141
Last Page
147
Recommended Citation
BAĞCI, EYÜP; BRUEHL, LUDGER; AITZETMULLER, KURT; and ALTAN, YASİN (2003) "A Chemotaxonomic Approach to the Fatty Acid and Tocochromanol Content of Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae)," Turkish Journal of Botany: Vol. 27: No. 2, Article 7. Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/botany/vol27/iss2/7