Chemical analyses of the seeds from Prunella vulgaris: A chemotaxonomic approach

Common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) plants are traditionally sown along the border of crops to enhance the biodiversity. Besides enhancing the biodiversity, they can also be a source of interesting compounds which could be important for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The seeds of Common self-heal were investigated for proteins, fatty acid compositions and polyphenolic compounds. The protein content was analyzed according to Dumas method, the extraction of oil was done using a cold extraction technique employing 2:1 chloroform/methanol as solvent, the fatty acid composition was determined using the gas chromatography and the amount of polyphenolic compounds were estimated using the method as described in European Pharmacopoeia, 8th edition. Common self-heal seeds can be of great commercial importance.