Abstract
Salvia fruticosa, Salvia tomentosa, Stachys aleurites, and Stachys cretica subsp. anatolica species are members of the Lamiaceae family. Oil content, fatty acids, and the tocopherol composition of seed oils from these species were studied. The seed oil yield varied from 12.2% (Salvia fruticosa) to 17.2% (Stachys aleurites). Linoleic acid was found in high levels in the range from 44.13% (Stachys aleurites) to 61.7% (Salvia tomentosa), followed by oleic acid in the range from 23.1% (Salvia tomentosa) to 34.2% (Stachys aleurites). ?-Tocopherol was the most abundant tocopherol in the oils. Salvia tomentosa seed oil had the highest amount of ?-tocopherol (834.9 mg/kg), wherein the lowest amount was found in Stachys cretica seed oil (327.1 mg/kg). The work showed that the seed oils under study are rich sources of unsaturated fatty acids and ?-tocopherol that may contribute to human health.
We are indebted to Akdeniz University (Scientific Research Project Unit) for the financial support to collect plant samples, and Süleyman Demirel University (Scientific Research Project Unit, Project number SDU1328) for the financial support of for the chemical analyses.