Usage of medically effective fatty acids in phytotherapy

While n-3 and n-6 multiple unsaturated fatty acids are a part of cell membrane phospho-lipids, they are also precursors of prostaglandines, leucotriens and tromboxans which play a major role on many phsyological event on human body. Because of the protective effects on mainly cardiovascular system, immune system and cancer, many phytopharmaceutical products became the center of attention in present years.In this study, enlightenment of the composition of seed fat of Nonea stenosolen Boiss. & Bal., which is from Boraginaceae family and also the main ingredient of the medically and industrially important fatty acid GLA, is the main focus. For this purpose, ripe N. stenosolen seeds are collected from their natural habitats in three different regions around Turkey and seed oils are obtained from samples by using contionus-extraction method. GC-MS analysis is utilized on these seed oils to find fatty acid composition. It is observed that the efficiency of the analysis ranged between 8.69 - 21.12%. According to GC-MS analysis results, while fatty acid composition of the seeds that are collected from Nevşehir and Kırıkkale are similar, the seeds gathered from Kahramanmaraş differ in composition. It is observed that all three samples are rich in unsaturated fatty acids namely oleic (26.8 - 38.1%) and linoleic (17.4 - 23.7%) acids. While unsaturated fatty acids are found in high amounts ranging between 71.1% and 78.7%, saturated fatty acids are found in the range of 16.7% and 17.6% indicating low amounts. While GLA, aside from its medical values which is also a taxonomic marker for Boraginaceae family, is highly found in the samples gathered from Nevşehir and Kırıkkale in the range of 15.0% and 16.5%, its amount in the samples from Kahramanmaraş could not exceed 4.4%. In the light of these results, the N. stenosolen seed oil obtained from the samples gathered from Nevşehir and Kırıkkale, can be evaluated as an alternative natural source for GLA.