Studying the quantity and quality of fatty acids in the seeds of Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dun. and Withania somnifera (L.) Dun., collected from different habitats of Sistan and Baluchestan

This study was conducted for the first time in Iran to investigate the quantity and quality of fatty acids in the seeds of Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dun. and Withania somnifera (L.) Dun. and compare the effects of different habitats on the quantity and quality of fatty acids. Five seed samples of the study species were collected from different habitats of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in November 2016. After clearing the seeds from fruits, the seed oils were extracted by Soxhlet apparatus and pure solvent n-Hexane, and analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using GC with FID-Fame detectors. The results showed that different habitats had significant impact on the amount and type of fatty acids in the seed oil of two study species. The predominant fatty acid in W. somnifera, collected from Zahedan habitat, was linolenic acid (Omega-3) (39.84%), while in Saravan habitat, archidic acid was the predominant fatty acid (SFA) (34.95%). The predominant fatty acid in W. coagulans, collected from Gosht of Saravan and Pip habitats was linolenic acid (Omega-3) (62.73%; 67.03%), respectively, while in the Tange Sarheh habitat, oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid (Omega-9) (69.22%). In general, the results of this study proved the high effect of ecological status on the quantity and quality of fatty acids in the seeds of the study species. Our results clearly showed that the seeds of W. somnifera contained more oil as compared with W. coagulans.