Chemical composition and effect on intestinal Caco-2 cell viability and lipid profile of fixed oil from Cynomorium coccineum L

Cynomorium coccineum L. is a non-photosynthetic plant, spread over Mediterranean countries, amply used in traditional medicine. We investigated the composition and effect on intestinal Caco-2 cell viability and lipid profile of fixed oil obtained from dried stems of the plant. Oil isolation has been performed by supercritical fractioned extraction with CO2. 13C NMR spectroscopy has been used to study the molecular composition of oil lipids; fatty acid composition was identified using GC and HPLC techniques. The fixed oil was composed mainly by triacylglycerols and derivates. The main fatty acids were 18:1 n−9 (38%), 18:2 n−6 (20%), 16:0 (15%), and 18:3 n−3 (10.8%). The oil showed a significant in vitro inhibitory effect on the growth of colon cancer undifferentiated Caco-2 cells. Moreover, cell viability, lipid composition, and lipid peroxidation were measured in intestinal epithelial cells (differentiated Caco-2 cells) after 24 h incubation with fixed oil. The oil did not show a toxic effect on colon epithelial cell viability but induced a significant change in fatty acid composition, with a significant accumulation of the essential fatty acids 18:3 n−3 and 18:2 n−6. The results showed remarkable biological activity of Maltese mushroom oil, and qualify it as a potential resource for food/pharmaceutical applications.