Lycium intricatum Boiss.: An unexploited and rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, 4-desmethylsterols and other valuable phytochemicals

BACKGROUND: Lycium intricatum Boiss., a Solanaceous shrubbery is used in Tunisia as a windbreak and medicinal plant. However, it is considered as underexploited specie despite its high potential to serve as source with economic and nutritional value. To date only limited information about its phytochemistry, especially of its oil has been published. This work provides data on fatty acids, phytosterols and vitamin D composition of L. intricatum seed oil. It opens up new possibilities of developing L. intricatum as a new crop that contains phytochemicals with high added value little influenced by selection or commercial breeding. FINDINGS: The composition of fatty acids, phytosterols and vitamin D in L. intricatum seed oil was assessed by GC-FID. The main fatty acids of L. intricatum seed oil were linoleic acid (49.47 %), palmitoleic acid (27.96 %) and erucic acid (13.62 %). Palimtic acid was present at low percentage (0.63 %). The content of unsaturated fatty acids was high as 94.04 %. The sterolic fraction was composed of stigmasterol (18.56 mg/100 g), β-sitosterol (13.04 mg/100 g). L. intricatum oil is an oily matrix that contains hydrocarbons, mainly squalene (63.36 mg/100 g), and two triterpenic alcohol erythrodiol (80.36 mg/100 g) and uvaol (24.06 mg/100 g). provitamin D was present in high quantity (8.12 mg/100 g). CONCLUSIONS: From these results it has been shown that L. intricatum seeds have great potential as a source of fatty acids and phytosterols for natural health products.