17.3.3.1 Serotonin Derivatives
Many serotonin derivatives have been isolated from safflower seeds and seed meals
and several pure serotonin derivatives have been found to exhibit strong antioxidant
activities. Serotonin derivatives in seeds include N-feruloylserotonin,
N-feruloylserotonin-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin, N-( pcoumaroyl)tryptamine, N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, Nferuloyltryptamine,
Serotobenine,
4,4
00 -bis(N-p-coumaroyl)serotonin,
N-feruloylserotonin-O-β-D-glucopyranoside,
N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin-O-β-Dglucopyranoside, 4,4
00 -bis(N-p-coumaroyl)serotonin, 4-[N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin4
00 -yl]-N-feruloyl serotonin, and 4,4
00 -bis(N-p-feruloy)serotonin (Zhou et al. 2014).
In addition to seeds, serotonin derivatives have also been isolated from safflower oil
(Zhang et al. 1997).
Serotonin-derived phenylpropanoid amides including safflomide (trans-Ncaffeoyltryptamine) and serotomide (trans-N-caffeoylserotonin) have also been
found in safflower (Park 2008). In safflower seeds, most of the serotonin derivatives
are found as a family of molecules containing seven to ten members containing a
serotonin moiety bound to a phenylpropanoid moiety via an amide bond. Apart from
the antioxidative effect and radical-scavenging activities, many health-promoting
properties have been attributed to them including anti-tyrosinase activity, anti-tumor
activities, fibroblast growth-promoting properties, immunomodulatory and analgesic
properties (Jin et al. 2008). Due to strong antioxidant and therapeutic properties,
safflower has great potential to be used as prophylactic and treatment option as well
as in functional foods for its health benefitting properties (Kang et al. 2009).
17.3.4 Oil
The oil content of the safflower seeds varies from 23 to 36% of the seed depending
upon the different cultivars (Matthaus et al. 2015). Safflower oil contains a high
amount of linoleic acid and a considerable amount of oleic acid (Asgarpanah and
Kazemivash 2013).
The major fatty acid component is the linolenic acid having a mean value of
70.6% (Matthaus et al. 2015). The safflower seed oil also contains considerable
amounts of saturated fatty acids, particularly palmitic (5.7–6.81%) and stearic acids
(1.88–2.57%) (Matthaus et al. 2015). According to another report by Gambacorta
and Leone (1997), safflower oil contained 7.4% palmitic, 2.9% stearic, 14.3% oleic
and 74.3% linoleic acids (Gambacorta and Leone 1997). Kim and colleagues
reported the safflower seed oil composition as 63–72% linoleic acid, 16–25% oleic
acid, and 1–6% α-linolenic acid (Kim et al. 2000).
Fatty acid composition is influenced greatly by environmental conditions as well
as genotypic variations (Robertson et al. 1978). Apart from essential fatty acids,
safflower seed oils are also good sources of vitamin E (Robertson et al. 1978).
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M. Nazir et al.
Many serotonin derivatives have been isolated from safflower seeds and seed meals
and several pure serotonin derivatives have been found to exhibit strong antioxidant
activities. Serotonin derivatives in seeds include N-feruloylserotonin,
N-feruloylserotonin-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin, N-( pcoumaroyl)tryptamine, N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, Nferuloyltryptamine,
Serotobenine,
4,4
00 -bis(N-p-coumaroyl)serotonin,
N-feruloylserotonin-O-β-D-glucopyranoside,
N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin-O-β-Dglucopyranoside, 4,4
00 -bis(N-p-coumaroyl)serotonin, 4-[N-( p-coumaroyl)serotonin4
00 -yl]-N-feruloyl serotonin, and 4,4
00 -bis(N-p-feruloy)serotonin (Zhou et al. 2014).
In addition to seeds, serotonin derivatives have also been isolated from safflower oil
(Zhang et al. 1997).
Serotonin-derived phenylpropanoid amides including safflomide (trans-Ncaffeoyltryptamine) and serotomide (trans-N-caffeoylserotonin) have also been
found in safflower (Park 2008). In safflower seeds, most of the serotonin derivatives
are found as a family of molecules containing seven to ten members containing a
serotonin moiety bound to a phenylpropanoid moiety via an amide bond. Apart from
the antioxidative effect and radical-scavenging activities, many health-promoting
properties have been attributed to them including anti-tyrosinase activity, anti-tumor
activities, fibroblast growth-promoting properties, immunomodulatory and analgesic
properties (Jin et al. 2008). Due to strong antioxidant and therapeutic properties,
safflower has great potential to be used as prophylactic and treatment option as well
as in functional foods for its health benefitting properties (Kang et al. 2009).
17.3.4 Oil
The oil content of the safflower seeds varies from 23 to 36% of the seed depending
upon the different cultivars (Matthaus et al. 2015). Safflower oil contains a high
amount of linoleic acid and a considerable amount of oleic acid (Asgarpanah and
Kazemivash 2013).
The major fatty acid component is the linolenic acid having a mean value of
70.6% (Matthaus et al. 2015). The safflower seed oil also contains considerable
amounts of saturated fatty acids, particularly palmitic (5.7–6.81%) and stearic acids
(1.88–2.57%) (Matthaus et al. 2015). According to another report by Gambacorta
and Leone (1997), safflower oil contained 7.4% palmitic, 2.9% stearic, 14.3% oleic
and 74.3% linoleic acids (Gambacorta and Leone 1997). Kim and colleagues
reported the safflower seed oil composition as 63–72% linoleic acid, 16–25% oleic
acid, and 1–6% α-linolenic acid (Kim et al. 2000).
Fatty acid composition is influenced greatly by environmental conditions as well
as genotypic variations (Robertson et al. 1978). Apart from essential fatty acids,
safflower seed oils are also good sources of vitamin E (Robertson et al. 1978).
432
M. Nazir et al.