Planta Med 2011; 77 - PA56
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282252

Study and comparison of the Pistacia atlantica Desf. oleoresins from Iran

P Savedoroudi 1, F Mirzajani 1, A Memar 2, A Ghassempour 1
  • 1Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C. Evin, Tehran, Iran
  • 2No.278, third floor, between Hafez and Aban, Karimkhan Zand, Tehran, Iran

Pistacia atlantica Desf. is one of the species which is valued because it is the source of mastic gum, exudates which strengthens gums, deodorizes breath, fights coughs, chills and stomach diseases [1, 2]. Furthermore, the extracted oleoresin from P. atlantica is used in the chewing gum industries. One of the difficulties in chewing gum industries is the influence of the preliminary processing of the raw materials on the quality of the final products. It may caused by the variation of the different geographical area where the raw materials were collected or the process of preliminary preparation. These factors were monitored according to the chemical and physical examinations. The preparation process was monitored over the final physical properties of samples using thermal gravimetric method, (TG) and differenzial scanning calorimetry, (DSC). Moreover, In order to evaluate the geographical influence, the fragrance and the structural compounds of the raw samples collected from different areas were studied. The essential oil from the oleoresin, collected from six different locations in Iran, was obtained and its chemical composition was determined with GC and GC-MS. The yield range of essential oil was 17–22% (w/w), and the major compound is α-pinene, (92%). Because of the versatile usage in food industries and high concentration of α-pinene, it subjected for the antimicrobial activity against variety of respiratory and gastrointestinal microorganisms. In addition, because the oleoresin has a carbohydrate structure [3], the monosaccharides constituted of extracted polysaccharides were studied. The results demonstrate that the major constitutions were arabinose and galactose.

References: 1. Meickle RD (1977) Flora of Cyprus The Bentham-Moxon Trust, Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew.

2. Bellakhder J (1997) La pharmacopée marocaine traditionnelle; Médicine arabe ancienne et savoir populaire. Ibis Press. Saint Etienne.

3. Kottakis F et al. (2008) Amino Acids 34: 413–420.