Determination of fatty acids from Perilla cultivars and edible oils by GC-FID

Perilla contains various fatty acids, which has biological activities. To compare the difference of fatty acid content between Perilla cultivars and edible oils, we conducted fatty acid analysis by GC-FID. The analysis of fatty acids in Perilla cultivars showed that the cultivar Deulsaem contains high amount of total fatty acid (396.56 mg/g) and the highest amount of α-linolenic acid (256.98 mg/g) [Table 1]. Almost every Perilla cultivar contains α-linolenic acid as the major fatty acid. This result demonstrated that α-linolenic acid is a major compound of Perilla cultivars. As well as fatty acids, previous research that the oil contains phenolic compounds [1] and policosanol content [2]. The content of α-linolenic acid of commercial oils was also determined for comparison with the oil of Perilla cultivars (Table 2). Among the commercial oils, Perilla oil and Canola oil contain high amounts of fatty acids (803.41and 790.84 mg/g, respectively). α-Linolenic acid was also found in high amounts in Perilla oil (515.20 mg/g). In past years, α-linolenic acid is known as a food supplement, and previous research has suggested that it has biological activities including improving learning and memory skills [3], preventing Crohn's disease, and having antimicrobial activity [4]. Perilla oil is therefore expected to have health promoting properties and could be a useful as a health supplement due to its high content of α-linolenic acid.

Tab. 1: Fatty acid contents from Perilla cultivar

Sample	Fatty acid (mg/g)
	α-Linolenic acid	Linoleic acid	Oleic acid	Total
Dami	181.18	36.53	43.03	260.74
Danjo	244.08	64.13	67.20	375.41
Deulsaem	256.98	72.50	67.08	396.56
Daesil	241.58	69.40	58.50	369.48
Anyu	225.19	50.00	56.46	331.65
Yujin	248.28	60.19	36.88	345.35
Dayu	222.45	49.76	48.32	320.53
Yeupsil	243.52	54.50	47.20	345.22
Hyangim	186.49	33.04	39.26	258.79
Hwahong	173.18	38.66	40.42	252.26

Tab. 2: Fatty acid contents from commercial oils

Sample	Fatty acid (mg/g)
	α-Linolenic acid	Linoleic acid	Oleic acid	Total
Nut	33.19	276.31	456.32	765.82
Perilla	515.20	141.16	147.05	803.41
Soybean	55.27	480.78	205.03	741.08
Corn	8.45	474.88	294.09	777.42
Olive	5.03	63.24	693.67	761.94
Cooking	56.32	260.31	439.08	755.71
Canola	61.61	165.86	563.37	790.84
Grape seed	2.57	592.96	176.83	772.36

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by grants from Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ010156022016), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Keywords: α-linolenic acid, GC-FID, Perilla cultivar.

References:

[1] Lee JH, Park KH, Lee MH, Kim HT, Seo WD, Kim JY, Baek IY, Jang DS, Ha TJ. Identification, characterisation, and quantification of phenolic compounds in the antioxidant activity-containing fraction from the seeds of Korean perilla (Perilla frutescens) cultivars. Food Chem 2013; 136: 843 – 852

[2] Adhikari P, Hwang KT, Park JN, Kim CK. Policosanol content and composition in perilla seeds. J Agric Food Chem 2006; 54: 5359 – 5362

[3] Umezawa M, Ohta A, Tojo H, Yagi H, Hosokawa M, Takeda T. Dietary α-linolenate/linoleate balance influences learning and memory in the senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM). Brain Res 1995; 669: 225 – 233

[4] Lee JY, Kim SY, Shin DH. Antimicrobial synergistic effect of linolenic acid and monoglyceride against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. J Agric Food Chem 2002; 50: 2193 – 2199

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).