Survey of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in seven varieties of Lappula squarrosa: An alternative source of heart‐healthy vegetable oil

INTRODUCTION: Growing demand for heart‐healthy omega‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 LC‐PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is putting stress on wild fish stocks. There is now a compelling need for new and novel sources of non‐traditional seed oils containing high stearidonic acid (SDA), a precursor of EPA and DHA, to reduce this demand. The seed oil of Lappula squarrosa is one of the richest sources of SDA, however, the plant has been found to contain toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). OBJECTIVE: In this study, the PA concentrations of seven varieties (A–G) of Lappula squarrosa were analysed to determine the most suitable varieties for commercial seed oil production. METHODS: Whilst the clean‐up procedure for the PAs in the roots, flowers and leaves was on diatomaceous earth columns and finally analysed with GC‐EI‐MS, that of the seeds was through SCX‐SPE and a more sensitive HPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS sum parameter method was used in the analysis. RESULTS: Altogether six PAs (supinine, amabiline, intermedine, lycopsamine and 3ʹ‐acetylintermedine) including one unknown retronecine‐type PA were identified with variety C recording the lowest total PA concentration (4.64 mg seneciphylline equivalents (SE)/g dry weight (d.w.)). Besides, the total PA concentrations in the seeds of Lappula squarrosa varieties ranged between 2.88 μg PA/g and 10.36 μg PA/g d.w. CONCLUSION: Based solely on overall PA concentrations and PA distribution, variety D (5.95 mg SE/g d.w.) was found to be a potential candidate for commercial seed oil cultivation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.