Argan Oil

[Michaelangelica]

!e argan tree (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels;
Sapotaceae) is a slow-growing tree exclusively
endemic to the barren lands of southwest
Morocco

This is a link to an interesting monograph on a desert loving tree.
http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/16/3/275.pdf
I had never heard of it ; I thought others might be interested too
Introduction
Argan oil has sky-rocketed from a mere
tourist attraction to one of the most prized
oils in the world in a few short years. Argan
oil’s unique savor and multiple pharmacological properties are responsible for this
success. Argan oil is almost exclusively
produced in southwestern Morocco, one of
the poorest parts of the country, where
all-women cooperatives specialize in high
quality argan oil extraction. !is activity is
therefore providing a welcome "nancial
stream. However, the argan tree, the fruit
of which provides argan oil, could rapidly
become an endangered species due to years
of recurrent drought, forest overuse, and
poor forest management. Consequently,
women cooperatives aimed at sustainably supporting the argan forest represent the cornerstone of a
vast program involving the reforestation of fragile
and particularly degraded lowlands and also
provide education of rural women

The Argan tree grows wild in semi-desert soil, its deep root system helping to protect against soil erosion and the northern advance of the Sahara

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argan_oil#Supporting_women

[purplepear]

mice one ma = is it a citrus? I would love bigger photos

[eco4560]

Obviously makes good goat fodder too!

[Grasshopper]

http://www.newcrops.uq.edu.au/newslett/ncn10216.htm
seems they are growing them in Israel for 10 years and Australia is looking at it
If you live in a desert environment it might be worth contacting the guy in Qld.(hope we dont bury him with enquiries)
There is a guy in Israel selling seeds for $200 on the net. I would like to tell him he is dreaming.

http://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs...osa_30911.html
looks a nice looking plant, might be a great plant for a remote community with the right climate to set up an industry extracting the oil to cook with and sell.

[purplepear]

Thanks Grasshopper - interesting tree

[sweetpea]

I just heard someone mention this on YouTube as a great hair conditioner and I had no idea what it was. Interesting!

[Michaelangelica]

it looks like a lemon dosn't it but seems it is in the Sapotaceae family
seems you may need goats to produce the oil

A somewhat obscure oil derived from goats that have eaten the nuts of the argan tree grown in Southwest Morocco. The goats apparently are attracted to the fruit as catnip affects cats. This predigested product is then harvested and, through a time-consuming process, melted down and purified. It is an oil with a color similar to olive oil but with a slightly reddish cast. Recent studies have shown a possible nutraceutical use to control cho lesterol and help fight disease

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/argan-o...#ixzz1hmXR1Glo

If your Portugeese/Spanish is better than mine you might cope with this

or

this is some scientific reseach on it if you can track down the full paper

Therapeutic potential of argan oil: A review.
Monfalouti H.E., Guillaume D., Denhez C., Charrouf Z.
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 62 (12) (pp 1669-1675), 2010. Date of Publication: December 2010.
[Journal: Review]
Publisher
Pharmaceutical Press (1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN, United Kingdom)

AB Objectives The therapeutic benefits of argan oil consumption have been claimed by natives of Morocco and explorers for more than eight centuries. However, argan oil has remained unresearched for a long time. Traditionally, argan oil has been well known for its cardioprotective properties and it is also used in the treatment of skin infections. Argan oil is principally composed of mono-unsaturated (up to 80%) and saturated (up to 20%) fatty acids. As minor components, it contains polyphenols, tocopherols, sterols, squalene, and triterpene alcohols. Together with the mono-unsaturated fatty acids, these minor components are likely to be responsible for its beneficial effects. This review aims to present an overview of the known pharmacological properties of argan oil. Key findings Antiproliferative, antidiabetic, and cardiovascular-protective effects of argan oil have been particularly actively evaluated over the last 5 years in order to build on phytochemical studies that indicate the presence of large amounts of possibly pharmacologically active compounds. Summary This review shows that a lack of clinical data constitutes a serious weakness in our knowledge about argan oil, therefore it is difficult to correlate the reported pharmacological activities to any potential clinical relevance. 2010 The Authors. JPP 2010 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

this is probably in Spanish

Ecology, ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of argan tree (Argania spinosa). <Ecologia, etnobotanica y etnofarmacologia del argan (Argania spinosa).>
Lopez Saez J.A., Alba Sanchez F.
Boletin Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromaticas. 8 (5) (pp 323-341), 2009. Date of Publication: September 2009.
[Journal: Review]
Publisher
Soc Fitoquimica Latinoamericana (Mail Box 70036, Santiago 7 00000, Chile)

AB Argania spinosa is an endemic woody species distributed in south-western Morocco where it has played a key role, from an ethnobotanical point of view, in the local economy of Berber people. The argan oil is extracted using traditional methods from its fruits with a very interesting ethnographic technique. In this paper a bibliographical review was done regarding the ecology, ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of Argan tree, as well as metabolites involved in their properties. 2009 Los autores con licencia para el Boletin Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromaticas.

and
The argan tree, a treasure of our heritage. <L'arganier ou la richesse d'un patrimoine.>
Alaoui K.
Phytotherapie. 7 (3) (pp 150-156), 2009. Date of Publication: June 2009.
[Journal: Article]
Publisher
Springer-Verlag France (1 rue Paul Cezanne, Paris 75008, France)

AB The argan tree, Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels, which belongs to the Sapotaceae family of southwest Morocco, is an endemic tree that is part of national and world heritage. Used in forestry to resist soil erosion and in agriculture as goat fodder, it also bears fruit. Argan oil is extracted from the kernel and is famous throughout the world for its dietary and cosmetic properties. The paste resulting from oil extraction contains a combination of 7 triterpene bidesmosidic saponins, which have been shown to be extremely toxic when delivered interperitoneally but much less so when taken orally. Similarly, these arganines do not have any chronic toxicity when taken orally.

Their peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to operate at doses of 50 mg/kg and above in vivo, and they have been shown to capture free radicals in vitro. As there is no effect on prostaglandin PGE2 synthesis, it is thought that their effect is due to an antileukotriene LTB4 action resulting from lipoxygenase inhibition. Moreover, topical application of arganines has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory action while, administered orally, an assessment of their sedative, neuroleptic, hypothermic, antipyretic, diuretic, antibacterial, antifungal and in vitro anti-leishmanial properties has been carried out and the results of this wide-ranging study are soon to be published.

The considerable advantages of the argan tree have led to its being overgrazed and over-used; resulting in rapid deforestation, estimated at approximately 1,500 acres of argan forest lost each year. It is for this reason that the Mohammed-VI Foundation for Research and Protection of the Argan Tree (Fondation Mohammed-VI pour la recherche et la sauvegarde de l'arganier) was founded in 2004.

It quickly implemented a program to increase public awareness of solar energy use, at the same time promoting and coordinating the establishment of a geographical argan oil map. The Foundation has also joined forces with the Ministry of Health with respect to a number of projects, including the fight against scorpion stings in argan forests, as well as working with the Moroccan Royal Police Force and Scientific Research. It is also keen to set up possible partnerships with cosmetics companies interested in argan oil and its uses, so as to pass on the socio-economic benefits of the sector's development to the populations who make their living from the argan tree, estimated to be over 3 million Moroccans. 2009 Springer Verlag.

Fondation Mohammed-VI pour la recherche et la sauvegarde de l'arganier
http://www.natureculture.org/wiki/in...l&#39;arganier

More stuff (in French) here
http://www.sidiyassine.com/v1/science-en.html