Fatty acids profile in three cultivars of Tunisian apricot oilseeds (Prunus armeniaca L.): impact of maturity.

Profiling's of oil yield and fatty acid were monitored during maturation of three different accession of Tunisian apricots (AprB, AprC and AprO) among different days after flowering (DAF) and grown in two different geographical regions of Tunisia. The first results show that a quick distribution started in immature oilseeds apricot and continued until their full maturity. Nine fatty acids were identified in apricot oilseeds such as palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidic, gadoleic and margaric acids. Palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids were determined as major fatty acids in apricot oil varieties. Interestingly, the content of each fatty acid in the three accessions of apricot varied significantly (p < 0.05) during seeds development and especially in wild apricot AprB. PCA analysis in AprB demonstrate that at the time-date of 41 DAF, the production of fatty acids is in its maximum and could have numerous future therapeutics applications.

[Comparative study of two techniques of ciclosporine monitoring]. / Étude comparative de deux techniques de dosage de la ciclosporine.

Ciclosporine (CsA) is an immunosuppressant drug used in bone marrow transplantation in order to extend allograft survival. Despite its efficiency, CsA can expose to therapeutic failure or to toxicity because of underdosing or overdosage. So, many techniques of monitoring CsA in blood were used, the referance one is the chromatographic technique then, the automated techniques: fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) and chimiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). In this study, we aimed to compare the results of CsA concentrations measured by the two automised techniques. Statistical studies showed that the two techniques were repeatable and reproductible. Results obtained by FPIA were slightly higher than those obtained by CMIA but without a significative difference. In conclusion, FPIA technique could be used to measure CsA blood concentration in replacement of CMIA in case of technical problems.

An electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry screening of triacylglycerols in developing cultivated and wild peanut kernels (Arachis hypogaea L.).

The accumulation of triacylglycerols during the development of three varieties of peanuts was monitored in two Tunisian cultivated peanut (Trabelsia (AraT) and Chounfakhi (AraC)) and one wild Tunisian peanut (Arbi (AraA)). The presence of TAGs composed of rare fatty acid residues such as hexacosanoic acid (C(23:0)) and heneicosanoic acid (C(21:0)) among the triacylglycerols C(23:0) LL, C(23:0) OO and C(21:0) LL was noted. The major molecular species of triacylglycerol detected in the three peanut varieties were dioleoyl linoleoyl (OOL), 1,2,3-trioleyl (OOO), 1,2-dioleyl-3-palmitoyl (POO), 1,2-dilinoleoyl-3-oleyl (OLL) and 1-oleoyl-2-linoleoyl-3-linolenoyl (OLLn). The TAG composition and content were significantly different among the three peanut varieties. The three major TAGs were OOL (20.6%), OOO (15.6%) and OLLn (13.2%) in AraA; OOL (21.4%), OOO (20.1%) and POO (17.5%) in AraC and finally OLL (20.7%), OOO (19.8%) and OLL (17.7%) in AraT.

Characteristics and pathways of bioactive 4-desmethylsterols, triterpene alcohols and 4α-monomethylsterols, from developing Tunisian cultivars and wild peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Seven 4-desmethylsterols, five triterpene alcohols and three 4α-monomethylsterols were identified by GC-MS during the development of wild peanut, which is Arbi (AraA), and cultivars peanut, which are Trabelsia (AraT) and Chounfakhi (AraC). Our results showed that the maximum level of 4-desmethylsterols (881.07 mg/100 g of oil) was reached at 12 days after flowering (DAF) date of peanut plant in AraA, as well as the highest level of triterpene alcohols (31.51 mg/100 g of oil) was reached at 23 DAF in AraA, whilst, the highest level of 4α-monomethylsterols (15.11 mg/100 g of oil) was reached at 41 DAF in AraC. Herein, the level of triterpene alcohols and 4α-monomethylsterols was overwhelmed by the amount of 4-desmethylsterols at each stage of peanut maturity. Differences were observed in each sterol contents among the studied cultivars and wild one especially in immature stage.

Comparison of the concentrations of long-chain alcohols (policosanol) in three Tunisian peanut varieties (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Policosanol (PC) is a mixture of high molecular weight aliphatic primary alcohols. Literature about the contents and compositions of PC derived from peanut varieties is scarce. Total PC composition and content in whole peanut grain samples from three varieties of peanut (two cultivars, AraC and AraT, and a wild one, AraA) were identified using a gas chromatograph system coupled with a mass spectrophotometer. The results show that, qualitatively, 21 components of peanut aliphatic alcohols were identified (C14-C30). Besides (C18=), the results exhibited a previously unreported mixture of PC compositions in the peanuts: the unsaturated PC (UPC), which are (C20=), (C21=), (C22=), and (C24=). The main components of total PC in Tunisian peanut kernels are docosanol (C22), (Z)-octadec-9-en-1-ol (C18=), hexadecanol (C16), and octadecanol (C18). Quantitatively, the total PC content of the whole peanut samples varied from 11.18 to 54.19 mg/100 g of oil and was higher than those of beeswax and whole sugar cane, which are sources of dietary supplements containing policosanol.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry screening for phytochemical 4-desmethylsterols accumulated during development of Tunisian peanut kernels (Arachis hypogaea L.).

4-Desmethylsterols, the main component of the phytosterol fraction, have been analyzed during the development of Tunisian peanut kernels ( Arachis hypogaea L.), Trabelsia (AraT) and Chounfakhi (AraC), which are monocultivar species, and Arbi (AraA), which is a wild species, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Immature wild peanut (AraA) showed the highest contents of beta-sitosterol (554.8 mg/100 g of oil), campesterol (228.6 mg/100 g of oil), and Delta(5)-avenasterol (39.0 mg/100 g of oil) followed by peanut cultivar AraC with beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and Delta(5)-avenasterol averages of 267.7, 92.1, and 28.6 mg/100 g of oil, respectively, and similarly for AraT 309.1, 108.4, and 27.4 mg/100 g of oil, respectively, were found. These results suggest that, in immature stages, phytosterol contents can be important regulator factors for the functional quality of peanut oil for the agro-industry chain from plant to nutraceuticals.