Almond oil is a fixed oil obtained by expression from the seeds of Prunus amygdalus (Rosaceae) var. dulcis (sweet almonds), or P. amygdalus var. amara (bitter almonds).
ALMOND
Biological Source
Almond oil is a fixed oil obtained by expression from the
seeds of Prunus amygdalus (Rosaceae)
var. dulcis (sweet almonds), or P.
amygdalus var. amara (bitter almonds).
Geographical Source
The oil is mainly produced from almonds grown in the
countries bordering the Mediterranean (Italy, France, Syria, Spain and North
Africa) and Iran.
Characteristics
Almond trees are about 5 m in height. The young fruits have
a soft, felt-like pericarp, the inner part of which gradu ally becomes
sclerenchymatous as the fruit ripens to form a pitted endocarp or shell. The
shells, consisting mainly of sclerenchymatous cells, are sometimes ground and
used to adulterate powdered drugs.
The sweet almond is 2–3 cm in length, rounded at one end and
pointed at the other. The bitter almond is 1.5–2 cm in length but of similar
breadth to the sweet almond. Both varieties have a thin, cinnamon-brown testa
which is easily removed after soaking in warm water. The oily kernel consists
of two large, oily planoconvex cotyledons, and a small plumule and radicle, the
latter lying at the pointed end of the seed. Some almonds have cotyledons of
unequal sizes and are irregularly folded. Bitter almonds are found in samples
of sweet almonds; their presence may be detected by the sodium picrate test for
cyanogenetic glycosides.
Chemical Constituents
Both varieties of almond contain 40–55% of fixed oil, about
20% of proteins, mucilage and emulsin. The bitter almonds contain in addition
2.5–4.0% of the colourless, crystalline, cyanogenelic glycoside amygdalin.
Almond oil is obtained by grinding the seeds and
express-ing, them in canvas bags between slightly heated iron plates. The oil
is clarified by subsidence and filtration. It is a pale yellow liquid with a
slight odour and bland nutty taste. It contains olein, with smaller quantities
of the glycosides of linoleic and other acids. Bitter almonds, after
maceration on hydrolysis of amygdalin yield a volatile oil that is used as a
flavoring agent. Sweet almonds are extensively used as a food, but bitter
almonds are not suitable for this purpose.
Essential or volatile oil of almonds is obtained from the
cake left after expressing bitter almonds. This is macerated with water for
some hours to allow hydrolysis of the amygdalin to take place. The benzaldehyde
and hydrocyanic acid are then separated by stem distillation.
Almond oil consists of a mixture of glycerides of oleic
(62–86%), linoleic (17%), palmitic (5%), myristic (1%), palmitoleic, margaric,
stearic, linolenic, arachidic, gadoleic, behenic and erucic acid. Bitter almond
oil contains benzaldehyde and 2–4% of hydrocyanic acid. Purified volatile oil
of bitter almonds has all its hydrocyanic acid removed and, therefore, consists
mainly of benzaldehyde. The unsaponifi-able matter contains β-sitosterol, ∆5-avenasterol, cholesterol,
brassicasterol and tocopherols.
Uses
Expressed almond oil is an emollient and an ingredient in
cosmetics. Almond oil is used as a laxative, emollient, in the preparation of
toilet articles and as a vehicle for oily injections. The volatile almond oils
are used as flavouring agents.
Marketed Products
It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as
Baidyanath lal tail (Baidyanath Company), Himcolin gel, Mentat, Tentex Royal
(Himalaya Drug Company) and Sage badam roghan (Sage Herbals).
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