Pistacia atlantica Desf. (Atlas pistachio) is one of the most widely distributed wild species of the genus. It is an Irano–Touranian species with a large geographic area that extends from the Canary Islands to Pamir Mountains. Since ancient times, atlas pistachio gum-like resin and fruits, very rich in essential oils (EOs) and fixed oils (FOs), respectively, were used in traditional medicine and included in different traditional cosmetics and health and beauty products. Since then, Atlas pistachio fixed oil is incorporated into several soaps, creams and shampoos to benefit from its medicinal properties. Atlas pistachio fixed oils, resin and leaf essential oils are constituted by several bioactive compounds such as monoterpenes with α-pinene and β-pinene in the resin, terpinen-4-ol, elemol, sesquiterpenes with D-germacrene and E-caryophyllene in the leaves and oxygenated monoterpenes (bornyl acetate) in the fruits. The unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acid), sterols (β-sitostero) and tocopherols represented the principal compounds in fatty oil fruits. All these compounds exhibit great therapeutic and cosmetic virtues. Unlike lentisk oil uses in cosmetology, the cosmetic potentials of Atlas pistachio oils remain less valued. In the current review, we seek to highlight the characteristics and properties of Atlas pistachio oils in the prospects of the development of new and different cosmetic formulations as well as an innovative valuation of active ingredients and products inspired by indigenous knowledge and practices.

Leaf essential oils of 11 samples from Ruta montana, Ruta chalepensis subsp. latifolia and Ruta chalepensis subsp. angustifolia collected from two sites have been studied by GC/MS that allowed to identify 22, 25 and 12 components, respectively. The variability in the composition of essential oils among species and seasons was very high, and hence the existence of different chemotypes has been inferred. The major components were 2-undecanone, (E) caryophyllene, 2-nonanone and 2-methyloctyl acetate. Multivariate analysis of the 11 samples suggest that the main factors capable to influence the chemical composition of leaf essential oils was both the collection period and the geographical origin. 2-Undecanone seems to be the chemotaxonomic marker of Ruta genus. Furthermore, the formation of distinct clusters and sub-clusters at high distance also supports that the patterns of distribution of chemical constituents among seasons can be used in delimiting species and infraspecific taxa within the species complexes.