Bioactive phytochemicals of tree nuts. Determination of the melatonin and sphingolipid content in almonds and pistachios
2019
Paroni, Rita | Dei Cas, Michele | Rizzo, Jessica | Ghidoni, Riccardo | Montagna, Maria Teresa | Rubino, Federico Maria | Iriti, Marcello
Tree nuts are healthy foods rich in bioactive phytochemicals. Their regular, moderate consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic-degenerative diseases, in the context of a healthy diet and lifestyle. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical profile of almonds and pistachios, in order to add new elements in the complex scenario of nut chemistry. A LC–MS/MS method was developed to quantify melatonin and ceramides in almonds and pistachios. In general, pistachios were richer in melatonin (2609 ± 3096 vs 1222 ± 500 pg/g) and total ceramides (302 ± 77 vs 165 ± 21 pmol/g) than almonds. Among total ceramides fatty acyl homologs, the most represented was the C16:0 species, both for ceramides and dihydroceramides, and both in almonds (37–40%) and pistachios (51–74%). Overall, these results add a piece of information to elucidate the chemical composition of almonds and pistachios and provide a rationale for the nutraceutical potential of nuts in the Mediterranean diet.
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