BIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF MEDICINAL PLANT ELAEAGNUS RHAMNOIDES GROWING AT SOUTH-EAST OF KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Elaeagnus rhamnoides berries contain significant amounts of bioactive vitamins, lipids, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. They are widely used as an ingredient in functional products, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical formulations to prevent and treat cardiovascular, stomach, skin, and liver diseases. Natural sea buckthorn populations are widespread in Kazakhstan. Data on phytochemical and diagnostic indicators are absent for E. rhamnoides growing in Kazakhstan. In this work, seaberry from Kazakhstan was surveyed for diagnostic indicators, lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds. Analyses were conducted for main diagnostic indicators of leaves and fruits by standard microtechniques; fatty acid profiles by gas-chromatography; β-carotene by HPLCPDA; vitamin C and B by capillary electrophoresis, and pectin substances by titration. The main diagnostic indicators of leaves were stomatal anomocytic complex; corymbose and stellate hairs; conductive bundle - closed collateral; fruits - secretory passages and conducting bundles of a spiral type in the pulp parenchyma, and a large amount of fatty oil and aleuron grains in the embryo. In the oil from berry pulp/peel, the dominating fatty acids were palmitoleic and palmitic (28.53 and 30.03 %, respectively). Sea buckthorn seed oil, with its high a-linolenic levels and a near 1:1 ratio of ω-6:ω-3 fatty acids, represented a very balanced source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for human health and nutrition. β-Carotene content was 7.75 mg per kg, pectin substances – 3.27 %. In addition, the berries were rich in vitamins B complex (0.0035-0.014 mg/100g) and vitamin C (0.21 mg/100g). This work constitutes the first approach on knowledge about the phytochemical profile of Elaeagnus rhamnoides fruits from Kazakhstan and provides arguments multiple using of E. rhamnoides, both for fresh consumption and for industrial preparations in the form of jams and related products (functional multivitamin food) as well as byproducts (seeds) as raw materials for the production of oils suitable to be marketed by the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries.