Pinolenic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid found in Korean pine (Pinus orientalis) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) seed oils. Both oils have been found to have lipid-lowering properties. A diet containing maritime pine seed oil (MPSO) lowered HDL and ApoA1 levels in transgenic mice expressing human ApoA1. MPSO was found to diminish cholesterol efflux in vitro.[1] Korean pine seed oil supplements may help in obesity by reduction of appetite. People taking this oil had an increase in the satiety hormones CCK and GLP-1 and a reduced desire to eat.[2] The activity of the oil is attributed to pinolenic acid. Pinolenic acid is not converted to arachidonic acid metabolically and can reduce arachidonic acid levels in the phosphatidylinositol fraction of HepG2 cells from 15.9% to 7.0%.[3]
Reference:
[1]. Asset, G., Leroy, A., Bauge, E., et al. Effects of dietary maritime pine (Pinus pinaster)-seed oil on high-density lipoprotein levels and in vitro cholesterol efflux in mice expressing human apolipoprotein A-I. British Journal of Nutrition 84, 353-360 (2000).
[2]. Causey, J.L. Korean pine nut fatty acids induce satiety-producing hormone release in overweight human volunteers. The 231st ACS National Meeting,.
[3]. Tamotsu, T., Tatsunori, T., Morishige, J., et al. Non-methylene-interrupted polyunsaturated fatty acids: Effective substitute for arachidonate of phosphatidylinositol. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 264, 683-688 (1999)..