They demonstrate the healthy properties of a basil seed oil, an alternative source of omega 3
Basil is widely known for its aromatic properties and for the use of its fresh leaves in restaurants, but until now little was known about the nutritional properties of its seed
This oil can be used by the general population or in the specific treatment of different inflammatory-based pathologies such as obesity, metabolic syndrome or colon cancer, among others.
A multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), from the ibs.GRANADA Technology Applied to Oncology and Gene Therapy research group, in collaboration with the CELLBITEC Foundation of Almería (https://fundacioncellbitec.
ocimumbasilicum or basil as it is commonly called, is an herb widely known for its aromatic properties and for the use of its fresh leaves in restoration. However, until now little was known about the nutritional properties of its seed.
The oil extracted from it has been described as being an excellent source (up to 75% of total fatty acids) of α-linolenic acid, a fatty acid belonging to the omega-3 series. In addition, linoleic acid (omega-6 series) can make up up to 15% of its total fatty acids.
One of the most important aspects that has been taken into account in this work has been to know the real bioavailability of its constituent fatty acids, as well as its ability to be transformed and incorporated as long-chain fatty acids in the different compartments of the body.
Scientists have shown that linolenic acid from basil seeds is absorbed at the digestive level and is transformed and incorporated in different tissues into other fatty acids such as those already known for their beneficial properties for health, docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA.
In addition, this transformation leads to a decrease in the concentration of precursors of proinflammatory molecules such as arachidonic acid (ARA). Likewise, it is worth highlighting the absence of toxicity that this oil showed, even in the highest dose supplied, which represented a 15% dietary inclusion.
“All these results make this oil ideal as a dietary supplement, as a new functional food or constituent of nutraceutical formulas, for use by the general population or in the specific treatment of different inflammatory-based pathologies such as obesity, metabolic syndrome or colon cancer, among others”, explain the authors.
This work has been led by researchers from the cancer area of ibs.GRANADA and from the Department of Physiology of the UGR Jesús María Porres Foulquie and María López-Jurado, belonging to the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology and the Research Center Biomédica, and the researchers from the Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Consolación Melguizo Alonso and José Carlos Prados Salazar, from the Biomedical Research Center and Biosanitary Institute of Granada.
The research has been carried out within the framework of a Torres Quevedo Program contract awarded to Rosario Martínez and co-financed by the biotechnology company CELLBITEC SL and a Research Project of the Challenges-Collaboration Program (RTC-2017-6540-1) promoted by the Office Transfer of Research Results (OTRI) of the University of Granada.
Cellbitec is a biotechnological company of the BeyondSeeds Group focused on the discovery of new active ingredients of plant origin with application in the fields of medicine and human and animal nutrition. The Cellbitec Foundation, born within the BeyondSeeds Group, was created with the firm idea of promoting scientific research, talent management and innovative capacities in the life sciences. In particular, setting its main objective in the fight against cancer and rare degenerative diseases.
Bibliographic reference:
Bioavailability and biotransformation of linolenic acid from basil seed oil as novel source of omega-3 fatty acids tested on a rat experimental model. Rosario Martínez, Cristina Mesas, Ana Guzmán, Milagros Galisteo, M. López-Jurado, José Prados, Consolación Melguizo, Francisco Bermúdez and Jesús María M Porres Foulquie
Food&Function, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1039/