Sesame seed is a rich source of dietary lignans

The variation in the contents of sesamin and sesamolin was studied in oils extracted from 65 samples of sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum L.) from plants with shattering (n = 29), semishattering (n = 7), and nondehiscent (n = 29) capsules. The oil content ranged from 32.5 to 50.6% and was greater in white than black seeds (P < 0.001). The sesamin and sesamolin contents in seeds ranged from 7 to 712 mg/100 g (mean +/- SD, 163 +/- 141 mg/100 g) and from 21 to 297 mg/100 g (101 +/- 58 mg/100 g), respectively, with no difference between black and white seeds. Thus, there was a wide variation in the contents of sesamin and sesamolin, which were positively correlated (R-2 = 0.66, P < 0.001). There were negative correlations between the contents of sesamin and the contents of sesaminol (R-2 = 0.37) and sesamolinol (R-2 = 0.36) and between the content of sesamolin and those of sesaminol (R-2 = 0.35) and sesamolinol (R-2 = 0.46) (P < 0.001). Sesame seeds had an average of 0.63% lignans, making them a rich source of dietary lignans.