Jojoba
[Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider] is a dioecious shrub; native only
to Sonoran Desert of North America. It is the subject of intense agriculture
research around the world since it is the only plant known which contains a
unique oil consisting almost entirely of a mixture of the esters of eicosene and
docosene acids and alcohols.
Jojoba oil has a composition and structure very similar to that found in
spermwhale oil, a valuable commodity no longer available in the world. This oil
comprises 50-60% by weight of the ripe seeds and is obtained commercially by
applying mechanical pressure. The oil has excellent lubricating properties and
is used extensively in the cosmetics industry. Numerous studies have been
carried out characterising and evaluating the potentialities of the oil.
Only causal attention was given to this
desert shrub during World War II (WWII), and only because spermwhale oil was
curtailed when international whaling was restricted.
World wide, more than 12000 acres of
cultivated jojoba are now producing in excess of 2500 tons of jojoba seeds
annually. (1) more than 1000 tones of oil are produced each year for
use in a variety of commercial products marketed world wide. The total world
market potential for jojoba oil has been estimated by some sources to be 64000
to 200000 tons of jojoba oil per year.(1) Approximately 600 tons of
jojoba oil are consumed by the cosmetic industry each year. This market is far
from being saturated although future expansion will depend upon the development
of a consistent supply of the oil at lower and more stable prices. (1)
The unique oxidative stability of jojoba oil, the pleasant feel of the oil on
skin and hair, the fact that it is a natural, biodegradable, non petroleum based
renewable resource and the positive consumer response to products containing
jojoba are reasons for its use within cosmetic industry. (1,2)
Today jojoba oil is marketed in increasing amounts in cosmetics for maintaining
the health of skin and hair, and it has also been proposed for use in
medications as a carrier for oil-soluble drugs and for the treatment of skin
diseases. (2) Moreover, the good culinary properties, bland taste and
low digestibility of jojoba oil, indicate its potential for use in some food
preparations. (2) In addition, the oil serves as high quality
lubricant.
The remainder of the seed (meal) is not used as such as the oil, even though it
contains about 25% protein after the oil is removed.
The defatted meal contains sugars and 11-15% of a unique group of cyanophoric
glycosides, all structurally related to simmondsin,(3) which is
proved as effective hunger satiation agent and reduces food intake in mice, rats
and chickens.(3) This protein rich meal is difficult to be used as
animal food because of the presence of such glycosides. These glycosides,
simmondsin and its analogues are considered toxic and decrease food intake
probably after their metabolism by gut microorganisms and the liberation of
hydrocyanic acid.(4)
Recently several trials are
going on to study the possibility of using the detoxified meal in weight
reduction and treatment of obesity in human beings and animals.(2,5)
As Simmondsia
chinensis (Link) Schneider is characterised by its great resistance to
drought, allows this shrub to produce with little quantity of water than is
necessary for traditional crops. This character made it very suitable crop for
acclimatization in vast Egyptian deserts particulary the climate and soil of the
Egyptian desert, either those western to the sea cost or in the desert depth,
showed great similarity to the worldwide jojoba cultivated areas. Consequently,
this virtue will place Egypt in an appropriate position to be massive productive
of jojoba plant.
Jojoba was introduced in Egypt in 1984 by FAO. However, no attention was given
to this plant. In 1991, several Egyptian investors and companies succeeded in
cultivation of Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider and produced its
seedlings and oil which is incorporated in the production of few pharmaceutical
and cosmetic preparations.
Several investigations were carried out to study the physical, chemical and
nutritional properties of jojoba oil produced by plants growing abroad. Other
parts of jojoba plant viz. fruit, leaves and stems did not receive the same
attention. Also, few reports were found dealing with the macro and
micromorphological characters of the plant.
Therefore, our present work is tailored to throw some light on the botanical
characters, chemical constituents and the biological activities of the different
parts of jojoba shrub growing and flourishing in Egypt.
This work includes the following:
Part
I:
Macro- and micromorphological study of the different organs of the plant, viz.
seed, pericarp, leaf and stem, with the aim to facilitate their identification
in both the entire and powdered forms.
Part
II:
Phytochemical study including:
1.
Preliminary phytochemical screening of different plant organs.
2.
Evaluation of the liquid wax from seeds.
3.
Investigation of the cyanophoric content.
4.
Investigation of the flavonoid content
5.
Investigation of the sterol content.
6.
Determination of the tannin content.
Part
III: Biological study includes:
1.
Determination of the safety of the plant
2.
Pharmacological screening of the hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of
the different plant organs as well as the liquid wax from seeds.
3.
The in vitro testing for cytotoxic effect of the hydroalcoholic,
aqueous extracts , the liquid wax, extracts and isolated compounds.
4.
Testing for the antioxidant activity of the liquid wax and the isolated
compounds.
Conclusion:
The present research has led to the
following results and recommendations:
“Jojoba oil”
prepared from seeds of S.chinensis (Link) Schneider growing in Egypt is
not a vegetable oil but it is a liquid wax in which the unsaturated acids
(eicosenoic and oleic) and the
unsaturated alcohols (docosenol and eicosenol) are the major acids and alcohols
The proved safety, low acidity, high content
of vitamin E of the liquid wax and its anti-oxidant activity, along side with
the reported data on its low caloric nature and hypocholesterolemic effect
recommended its use by patients suffering from atherosclerosis and high
cholesterol levels.
Three cyanophoric glycosides were isolated and identified
from the seeds, found to possess significant cytotoxic effect on Ehrlich
ascitis carcinoma cell line. Increasing lipophilicity of these compounds
(e.g. through acetylation) markedly increases this activity, affording a new
source of cytotoxic phytochemicals.
Three flavonols methyl ether were isolated and identified from the pericarp of Simmondsia
chinensis (Link) schneider.
The flavonoid profile of the studied plant may place theplant and the family
among other families rich in flavonol methyl ethers. The presence of only
flavonols in the fruit of this plant may have significant taxonomic and
evolutionary implications. Moreover, biological studies on the isolated
flavonoids from pericarp, which is very cheap in price, proved that it could be
significant and valuable source of natural antioxidant and hepatoprotective
phytochemicals.
Pericarp and seeds of S.chinensis
(Link) Schneider can be considered a good source for b-Sitosterol and b-sitosterol-b-D-glucoside (b-sitosterolin) which found to have cytotoxic
effect on Ehrlich ascitis carcinoma, together with the reported anti-inflammatory, immounostimulant effects and
their ability to treat benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Pharmacological
screening of different extracts from different parts of S.chinensis
(Link) Schneider revealed that: the hydroalcoholic extract of the seeds
possesses significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities.
The hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of the pereicarp were found to have a
significant anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities respectively. The
hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial parts (stems and leaves) showed analgesic
and anti-inflammatory activities. The hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of the
different parts of the plant as well as the liquid wax were found to have kidney
protective effect. These effects confirmed the folk use of jojoba by Indians of
America as a remedy for cold, headache and kidney disorders.
Lastly, the success of cultivation of this plant in
Egypt, will place our country in an appropriate position to be a massive
productive of this valuable medicinal and economic plant.
References:
1.
Brown, J.; “The Jojoba Industry, 1994 A Status and Update”, the
proceeding of the 3rd International Conference on New Industrial
Crops and Products and the 9th International Conference on Jojoba and
Its Uses, Argentina Sept. 25-30 (1994).
2.
Wisniak, J.; “The Chemistry and Technology of Jojoba Oil”, The
American Oil Chemists Society, Champaign, Illinois, chapter IV, pp. 251-
267(1987).
3.
Abbott, T.P., Flo, G., Frank, L., Hosler, R.A., Kolodziejczyk, P., York,
D. and Nelsen, T.; Industrial Crops and Products, vol.12, pp.209-213 (2000)
4.
Williams, R.R.; M.Sci.Thesis, University of Arizona (1980) [Through ref.
94]
5.
Jones, D.R. and Lewis, L.D.; U.S. patent 5962043, Oct. 5 (1999).
Acknowledgement
I
owe all this work to my supervisors:
Professor
Ali El Shamy, professor of Pharmacognosy and head of
Pharmacognosy dept., Cairo University, Egypt
Professor
Afaf Shehata, professor of pharmacognosy pharmacognosy dept.,
Cairo University, Egypt
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