Biochemical and nutritional evaluations of sea buckthorn (Hyppophae rhamnoides L. spp. Turkestanica) from different location of Pakistan

Sea buckthorn (Hyppophae rhamnoides L.) is a hardy shrub belonging to the family Elaeagnaceae. It bears yellow to orange berries, which have been used for centuries in Europe and Asia for beneficial purposes. It has attracted considerable attraction in the world mainly for its nutritional and medicinal value. Currently it has been cultivated in the various parts of the world. The abundant naturally growing Sea buckthorn ecotypes are of diverse genetic make up with diverse biochemical and nutritional expressions. To study the biochemical and nutritional values in 10 selected Sea buckthorn ecotypes from variable locations in northern areas, a research was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture Rawalakot Azad Kashmir Pakistan. In the present study ascorbic acid was determined by indo phenol dye method and oil contents from the berries were analyzed by using diethyl ether as solvent in Soxhlet apparatus for 6 hours at 30-40 degree C. The minerals iron and phosphorus were estimated using spectrophotometer. Comparison on the basis of biochemical analysis provided data that vitamin C had the range (191-295.6mg/100g). The high content of Vitamin C reflects the significance of Sea buckthorn in northern areas. Results have shown the values of oil content in the range of 18.2-43.5% and 7.03-12.86% in Sea buckthorn berry pulp and seeds respectively. The huge difference in the range of oil content is due to altitude variations and genetics make of Sea buckthorn ecotypes as well. The minerals, iron and phosphates were in the range of 2.6-7 and 34.3-466.6 mg/1008 respectively which again reflects the variations among the ecotypes. The study provides the evidence of the presence of genetically diverse ecotypes of Sea buckthorn in northern areas with tremendous biochemical and nutritional values.