Abstract Book - 3rd International Symposium on Medicinal Plants ...

3.7 Effects of Growing Region Maturity Stages on Lipid Yield, Fatty Acid
Profile and Tocopherols of Pistacia atlantica and Its Implications on
Resultant Biodiesel
Ben Ahmed Ziyad, Yousfi M. Yvan Vander H., Brahimi A., and Belhadj S.
Laboratory of Sciences Fondamentales. University Amar Telidji Laghouat, (03000), Algeria.
Lboratory of Aalytical Cemistry and Parmaceutical Tchnology Bussels, Belgium.
<strong>Abstract</strong>: The objective of the present study was to monitor total lipid, fatty acid profile (FAP)
and tocopherols contents at two stages of ripening, immature and mature Pistacia atlantica fruits
cultivated south of Algeria (Laghouat and Ain oussera). Saponification number (SN), iodine value
(IV), cetane number (CN) of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) of oils was empirically determined for
to predict the quality of FAME for use as biodiesel. The accumulation pattern of lipid yield was
strongly influenced by the growing regions and ripens process and showed a remarkable increase
at full maturity to reach a maximum of 24.76%, 29.30% in Laghouat and Ain oussera, respectively.
In both growing region, the palmitoleic, stearic and linolenic acids proportions correlated inversely
with oleic and linoliec acids at two stages of ripening. The tocopherol contents of Pistacia atlantica
oils were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). During the immature
stage the amount of total tocopherols (µg/g) in oils of Ain oussera and Laghouat was about 205.8
and 313.49, it decreased to141.56 and 110.08 respectively in mature stage. FAME of Pistacia
atlantica oils of immature and mature fruits were found to be most suitable for use as biodiesel by
meeting the major specification of biodiesel standards of USA and European Standard
Organization. Results of this study indicate that the Pistacia atlantica fruits at the immature stage
have a healthy nutritional value and the mature stage was with important economic as the
feedstock for biodiesel production by biocatalyst.
Key words: Biodiesel, fatty acids profile, fruit ripening, lipid content tocopherols, Pistacia atlantica.
3.8 Saffron: From Traditional Use to Modern Applications
Betti, Georges, Schmidt, Mathias 2 and Thomsen, Michael 2
1 Medicinal & Aromatic Plants R&D, 2000 Rue des Lucioles, F-06901 Sophia-Antipolis. 2 Eusano
GmbH & Co. KG, Wartbergweg 15, 86874 Mattsies, Germany.
<strong>Abstract</strong>: Saffron, the stigmas of Crocus sativus L., is a traditional medicinal plant and spice
material. In the time of IbnSînâ (Avicenna) more than 25 different cultivars of different origins have
been described, each with explicit uses. Some are described as having antidepressant effects,
others as being used as (sexual) stimulants. The starting point of this study was the question
whether these ancient cultivars can still be identified, and whether their uses can be correlated
with phytochemical findings. Crocus sativus is a sterile species, exclusively multiplied by
vegetative propagation starting from the corms. Correspondingly, the gene pool of saffron cultivars
does not change by interbreeding. Isolated ancient saffron cultivations stand a chance not to have
been altered by imported corms. In the course of our research program we located and screened
isolated ancient cultivations of Crocus sativus in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean
basin – cultivations as yet untouched by the use of mass-production of corms. Saffron quality was
assessed based on the methods described in the ISO norm 3632. The phytochemical analysis of
saffron from these sources shows distinct differences in the content of safranal and of crocin,
especially when the saffron stigmas are obtained under strictly comparable harvesting and
processing conditions to exclude external modifiers of saffron quality. Modern pharmacology and
clinical research attributes antidepressant effects to the marker substance safranal, and stimulant
effects to crocin. This association is well-correlated with the traditional recommendations of
IbnSînâ. The content of the specific marker substances can be further increased by the application
of well-defined harvesting and processing protocols – methods also adopted from ancient sources
and optimized to cultivation protocols. The retrospective confirmation of ancient knowledge has
practical implications: It may be used for the selection of optimal cultivars for specific uses (e.g.,
use as an aphrodisiac or as an antidepressant). The application of adequate cultivation, harvesting
and processing protocols has an immediate impact on saffron quality, and thus on the economic
result of saffron cultivation due to the classification of the harvest in better quality classes
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