The Contents of Phytosterols, Squalene, and Vitamin E and the Composition of Fatty Acids of Korean Landrace Setaria italica and Sorghum bicolar Seeds

Abstract

To characterize the nutraceutical property of Italian millet (Setaria italica) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), tenKorean landraces of each crop were collected and their vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols), squalene and phytosterols(campesterol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol) contents as well as fatty acid composition in seeds were evaluated. Italian milletseeds exhibited 5 forms of vitamin E isomers: three (α-, γ- and δ-) tocopherols and two (α- and γ-) tocotrienols, whilesorghum seeds showed only three forms of vitamin E isomers: α- and γ-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol. In both crops, γ-tocopherol was the major constituent of vitamin E in terms of highest quantity. Total vitamin E content in Italian millet andsorghum landraces were 88.3 mg/kg and 44.3 mg/kg, respectively. Among three phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasteroland β-sitosterol) analyzed, β-sitosterol was the major form comprising about 85% and 65% in Italian millet and sorghumlandraces, respectively. Total phytosterols content ranged from 443.0 to 568.5 mg/kg and 442.3 to 719.2 mg/kg in Italianmillet and sorghum, respectively. Squalene, a precursor of phytosterols biosynthesis, ranged from 6.8 to 10.2 mg/kg inItalian millet and from 62.2 to 115.2 mg/kg in sorghum. Linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids were the major fatty acids in bothof the crops and about 80% of the total fatty acids were unsaturated fatty acids. Among the tested landraces, M09 and S10showed relatively higher proportion of phytonutrients, suggesting their potential as a gene source for further breedingprogram.