ABSTRACT
The present work deals with chemical constituents, insecticidal and biological studies of jojoba oil. Its saponifiable and unsaponifiable matters of the lipid were studied against Schistocerca gregaria. In addition, the effect of supplementation of jojoba oil and its defatted meal on albino rats. The chemical analysis of saponifiable matter showed that alpha-linolenic acid was found to be the major constituents, in fatty acids [37.1%] followed by nervonic acid [13.8%]. The main constituents of unsaponifiable matter were fatty alcohols, represent 53.84% and 9-octadecen-l-ol was detected with high quantity [41.35%]. The hydrocarbons were also detected in high quantity, 1, 21-docosadiene was the main hydrocarbons [20.64%]. The higher level of jojoba oil induced the lowest eaten area percentage [30.3%] of S. gregaria, followed by the unsaponifiable and saponifiable matters [39.5% and 47.4%], respectively. Antifeedant and protection activity percentage were increased by increasing the concentration. The highest mortality percentage [100%] of S. gregaria nymphs was recorded at 10% jojoba oil while it was [93.3%] in the case of unsaponifiable matter. The biochemical evaluation on albino rats showed that supplementation of 4% jojoba oil to an atherogenic diet [containing 1% cholesterol, 10% animal fat and 0.25% cholic acid] led to a reduction in serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols levels after three weeks; the decrease amounted to 33.1% and 20.8%, respectively. The remainder after oil extraction is referred to defatted jojoba meal. Rats fed diet supplemented with 10% defatted jojoba meal had [after 14 days] a significant reduction in mean values of body weight, food intake and faecal excretion compared to control group but showed no significant change in serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases activity and creatinine levels