Unsaponifiable lipid constituents of ten indian seed oils

The phytochemical and pharmacological profile of taraxasterol

Taraxasterol is one of the bioactive triterpenoids found in dandelion, a member of the family Asteraceae. In the animal or cellular models of several ailments, including liver damage, gastritis, colitis, arthritis, pneumonia, tumors, and immune system diseases, taraxasterol has been shown to have significant preventive and therapeutic effects. This review aims to evaluate the current state of research and provide an overview of the possible applications of taraxasterol in various diseases. The reported phytochemical properties and pharmacological actions of taraxasterol, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-carcinogenic properties, and its potential molecular mechanisms in developing these diseases are highlighted. Finally, we further explored whether taraxasterol has protective effects on neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, more animal and clinical studies are also required on the metabolism, bioavailability, and safety of taraxasterol to support its applications in pharmaceuticals and medicine.

The Biosynthesis and Medicinal Properties of Taraxerol

Taraxerol is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that is actively produced by some higher plants as part of a defense mechanism. The biosynthesis of taraxerol in plants occurs through the mevalonate pathway in the cytosol, in which dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) and isopentyl pyrophosphate (IPP) are first produced, followed by squalene. Squalene is the primary precursor for the synthesis of triterpenoids, including taraxerol, β-amyrin, and lupeol, which are catalyzed by taraxerol synthase. Taraxerol has been extensively investigated for its medicinal and pharmacological properties, and various biotechnological approaches have been established to produce this compound using in vitro techniques. This review provides an in-depth summary of the hypothesized taraxerol biosynthetic pathway, the medicinal properties of taraxerol, and recent developments on tissue culture for the in vitro production of taraxerol.

Lipid analysis of Coffea arabica Linn. beans and their possible hypercholesterolemic effects

Lipid composition of green Coffea arabica beans is reported with special emphasis on fatty acid composition. Triacylglycerols were found to be the major lipid constituents of the coffee oil along with sterol esters, sterols/triterpene alcohol, hydrocarbons and the hydrolyzed products of triacylglycerols as the minor components. Fatty acid composition of total oil, neutral lipids, polar lipids and pure triacylglycerols showed the presence of fatty acids of C14, C16, C18, and C20 carbon chains. Palmitic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids and comprise about 38.7 and 35.9% respectively. Pancreatic lipase hydrolysis revealed that the linoleoyl and palmitoyl moieties are preferentially esterified at the Sn-2 and Sn-1,3 positions of triacylglycerols respectively. The presence of high amounts of palmitic acid at Sn-1,3 position in coffee oil may be partly responsible for its hypercholesterolemic effects.