Omega-6 Content, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Hexanic Extract from Prunus armeniaca L. Kernel from North-West Iran

Abstract

Chemical characteristics, fatty acid composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the kernel of Prunus armeniaca L. were evaluated in this study. The hexane extracts of kernel of P. armeniaca, which were collected from northwestern Iran, were obtained by Soxhlet apparatus. The fatty acids were derived to methyl esters and determined by gas chromatography/flame ionization detector and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry systems. The oil from kernel extract contained ω-6 (51.6 %). The other main components were hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) (23.0 %), octadecanoic acid (stearic acid) (10.6 %) and 9-hexadecenoic acid (2.7 %). Hexane extract of kernels from P. armeniaca was detected as an important source of ω-6 compound. The antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The results indicate that hexane extract from P. armeniaca kernels possesses considerable antioxidant activity. The IC50 value in the DPPH assay was 165 μg/ml. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was determined against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae), as well as three fungi (Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger). The bioassay showed that the oil exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity. The present study reveals that the hexanic extract from kernel of this fruit is attractive sources of ω-6.