A Chemotaxonomic Approach to the Fatty Acid and Tocochromanol Content of Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae)

Abstract

In this study, the fatty acid, tocopherol and tocotrienol composition in the seed oil of Cannabis sativa L., which is traded under the common name hemp seed oil, were determined by using GLC and HPLC techniques. While a- linolenic, linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid were the main fatty acid components, g Ð linolenic (18:3 n-6) and stearidonic acid (18:4 n-3) were found as unusual minor fatty acids in the seed oil. g Ð linolenic acid is an important fatty acid used both as a healthy nutrient and as a therapeutic agent. The occurrence of this fatty acid in some plant groups may have practical consequences with respect to genetic engineering or plant breeding for renewable lipid resources and may be of significant interest in plant chemotaxonomy and evolution. While the hemp seed oil was rich in tocopherols, particularly gÐ tocopherol, tocotrienols were not present. The chemotaxonomic importance of the fatty acids and tocochromanols (tocopherol and tocotrienols) was discussed in the family (Cannabaceae) pattern.