Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Relative proportions of FAs in the seed oils of Peristrophe bicalyculata and Ruellia tuberosa as affected by air pollution

Author(s):

Muhammad Iqbal ^{1, 2*}, Mahmooduzzafar ¹, Farah Nighat ¹, Ibrahim M. Aref ²

Recieved Date: 2011-06-10, Accepted Date: 2011-10-12

Abstract:

Effects of environmental degradation on secondary metabolites of therapeutic significance are yet to be duly investigated and understood. This study explores the effect of coal-smoke pollution, created by emissions of a thermal power plant in the Uttar Pradesh state of India and comprising mainly of CO₂, SO₂, NO_x and particulate matters, on the oil contents and the fatty acid (FA) proportions in seed oils of two medicinal herbs, namely, Peristrophe bicalyculata (Retz.) Nees and Ruellia tuberosa Linn. Under the pollution stress, the oil content was significantly increased in P. bicalyculata but decreased in R. tuberosa. In the Peristrophe oil, the relative proportion of lignoseric acid decreased, whereas those of other FAs increased. In the Ruellia oil, the proportions of caprylic and lauric acid increased, while those of others decreased at the polluted site. These findings are suggestive of investigating whether changes in chemical composition of oils, such as these, may have a bearing on the therapeutic properties of the oil concerned.

Keywords:

Fatty acids, pollution stress, seed oil, therapeutic efficacy

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 1101-1104

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