The fruits of the edible and medicinal Egyptian palm, Medemia argon, were collected from Aswan in Egypt and the essential oil (EO) from fruits and headspace (HS) of the seeds and fleshy mesocarps were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Results obtained by GC-MS analysis indicated a high variability in the oil and in the headspace from seeds and mesocarps. Sesquiterpene derivatives were the main group of volatiles in the EO from fruits and in the HS from seeds (45.0 and 64.0%, respectively), while oxygenated hydrocarbon derivatives were the main constituents in the HS obtained from fleshy mesocarps (96.5%). The different chemical composition of the headspace obtained from the seeds and mesocarps of M argon can be correlated with the different roles that the different constituents play in the prevention of dehydration of the fruits in the desert region from where the plant was collected.
GC-MS Analysis of Aroma of Medemia argun (Mama-n-Khanen or Mama-n-Xanin), an Ancient Egyptian Fruit Palm
PISTELLI, LUISA
2012-01-01
Abstract
The fruits of the edible and medicinal Egyptian palm, Medemia argon, were collected from Aswan in Egypt and the essential oil (EO) from fruits and headspace (HS) of the seeds and fleshy mesocarps were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Results obtained by GC-MS analysis indicated a high variability in the oil and in the headspace from seeds and mesocarps. Sesquiterpene derivatives were the main group of volatiles in the EO from fruits and in the HS from seeds (45.0 and 64.0%, respectively), while oxygenated hydrocarbon derivatives were the main constituents in the HS obtained from fleshy mesocarps (96.5%). The different chemical composition of the headspace obtained from the seeds and mesocarps of M argon can be correlated with the different roles that the different constituents play in the prevention of dehydration of the fruits in the desert region from where the plant was collected.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
