title: Biochemical evaluation of borage (Borago officinalis) rosette leaves through their essential oil and fatty acid composition.
abstract: Borago officinalis rosette leaves were sampled in the region of Amdoun (Tunisia) during different stages of their development. Essential oil contents varied from 0.01% to 0.13% respectively in young and adult leaves. Twenty three volatile compounds were identified. Hydrocarbons, mainly represented by nonadecane (29.8%), tetracosane (11.3%) and heptacosane (4.7%), constituted the major class in the young leaves (45.8%), followed by aldehydes (22.4%). The percentages of these two classes decreased to reach respectively 15% and 8.1% in adult leaves in favour of alcohols (57.9%) where cis-3-hexenol (29.6%) and hexanol (14.5%) were the main compounds. Total fatty acids amounts increased from 5.03 mg/g DW in young leaves to 32.23 mg/g DW in adult ones. The predominant fatty acids were alpha-linolenic (C18:3 n-3), stearidonic (C18:4 n-3), gamma-linolenic (C18:3 n-6), palmitic (C16: 0) and linoleic (C18:2 n-6) acids.
authors.affiliation: Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Unit, Biotechnologic Center in Technopark Borj-Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia. bayamhamdi2004@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Baya
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mhamdi
authors.forename: Wissem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aidi Wannes
authors.forename: Brahim
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marzouk
mesh_terms: D029683:Borago / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D009822:Oils, Volatile