title: Occurrence and characterization of oils rich in gamma-linolenic acid Part I: Echium seeds from Macaronesia.
abstract: Nineteen species of the genus Echium (Fam. Boraginaceae) collected in Macaronesia were surveyed in a search for new sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3omega6). High amounts of this acid were found in all of them, ranging from 9.15% (E. plantagineum) to 26.31% (E. callithyrsum) of total seed fatty acids. The amounts of GLA related to total seed weight were also significant, ranging from 1.77% (E. sventenii) to 5.02% (E. nervosum). In addition, considerable amounts of stearidonic acid (SA, 18:4omega3) were detected, ranging from 3.03% (E. auberianum) to 12.94% (E. plantagineum) of total fatty acids. These data allow us to consider tile members of the genus Echium from Macaronesia as one of the richest sources of gamma-linolenic acid found so far in nature. The results obtained from multivariable data analysis and the taxonomic relationships among the species is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Almería, Spain. jlguil@ualm.es
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Guil-Guerrero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gómez-Mercado
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García-Maroto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Campra-Madrid
mesh_terms: D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid