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Abstract
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The high demands for the consumption of edible oils have caused scientists to struggle
in
assessing
wild
plants
as
a new
source
of
seed
oils.
Therefore,
in
this
study,
the
oil
yield,
fatty
acid
and
tocopherol
compositions,
antioxidant
and
antibacterial
activities
of
the
oils
obtained
from
Iran's
two
endemic
plants
(Pyrus
glabra
and
Pyrus
syriaca)
were
investigated.
The
obtained
oil
yields
from
the
P.
gl
abra and P. syriaca
seeds were 33 ± 0.51 and 26 ± 0. 28 w/w%, respectively. Oleic acid (C18:1) with the
amount of 49.51 ± 1.05% was the major fatty acid in the P. gl abra oil, while the main
fatty acids in the P. syriaca seed oil belonged to linoleic acid (C18:2) and oleic acid
(C18:1) wi t h t he a mount s of 4 6.99 ± 0. 37 a nd 41. 43 ± 0. 23%, r espec t i vel y. T he a nal ysis
of
tocopherols
was
done
by
HPLC,
and
the
results
indicated
that
the
P.
gl
abra and
P. syriaca seed oils were rich in α-tocopherol (69.80 ± 1.91 and 45.50 ± 1.86 mg/100 g
oil, respectively), constituting 86. 24 and 89.01% of total detected tocopherols, respectively.
The
study
on
the
reducing
capacity
of
the
oils
indicated
that
the
P.
glabra
oil
had
more
reducing
capacity
than
the
P.
syriaca
oil.
Moreover,
the
antioxidant
activity
of
the
P.
gl
abra seed oil (43.4 ± 0.7 µg/ml) was higher than the P. syriaca seed oil
(46.3 ± 1. 2 µg/ml). Also, the investigation of the antibacterial activities indicated that
the P. gl abra and P. syriaca oils have an inhibitory effect on the studied bacteria. The
results indicate that the oils of these plants can be appropriate sources of plant oils
which can act as natural antibacterial agents.
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