**3. Biogeography**

The natural area of wild jojoba comprises approximately 161,000 km<sup>2</sup> between latitudes 23<sup>o</sup> and 34o North of latitude and between 109o and 118o West of longitudes. This shrub is native to Sonoran desert in Southern Arizona, Southern California and North-western Mexico. Now, it is being cultivated in Mexico, United States of America, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Egypt, Haiti, Israel, Paraguay and South Africa. It is used as an ornamental shrub throughout the Southern United States [7]. The plant survives in warm temperate desert to tropical desert forest. It tolerates full sun and temperatures ranging from 0 to 47°C. Mature shrubs tolerate temperatures as low as −10°C, but seedlings are sensitive to light frosts just below freezing. The rainfall 375 to 450 mm annually is considered optimum for its growth. Optimum growth occurs in a temperature range of 27–36°C, but plants can withstand very high temperature. A daily range of −1 to 50°C has been recorded in the Mexican desert habitat, but above 50°C is believed to suppress growth, although not lethal [11].

It can be grown in all types of soils which are well drained and have an average pH between 7 and 8.5. The plants has high growth in the desert soil with small amount of farm yard manure [12]. But the basic requirement is that soil must not be liable to water logging. Also, it can be grown on marginal and wasteland due to tolerance of extreme range of temperature from −5 to 54°C [13].

### **4. Physico-chemical properties of oil**

Jojoba seeds contain about 50% oil content with a range 44 to 59% which is light gold colored and odorless liquid wax ester. Chemically, jojoba oil is a liquid wax not oil because it has neither a liquid fat nor triglycerides as all other vegetables oils. Actually, jojoba liquid wax is composed of long chain (C20-C22) of fatty acids and fatty alcohols with two unsaturated bonds which make the oil susceptible to many different types of manipulations. The composition of oil accounts for its extreme shelf-life stability and extraordinary resistance to high temperatures as compared with true vegetables oils. It is natural, pure and stable due to high resistance to oxidation and can be stored for years without being rancid [14].

The extracted oil is relatively pure, non-toxic, biodegradable and resistant to rancidity. It is unique among vegetable oils, as sperm whale oil is unique among animal oils [15]. Jojoba oil can be classified as non-toxic substance, and used safely

#### *Jojoba - The Gold of Desert DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99872*

for external applications on healthy skin and wounds. The physical properties of liquid-wax involve high viscosity, high flash and fire point, high dielectric constant, high oxidative stability and low volatility which makes it usable as lubricant in high pressure machinery and electric insulators. The viscosity index of jojoba oil is much higher than that of petroleum oil [7].

Jojoba oil has unusual stability, remarkably pure and need not be refined for use as transformer oil or as a lubricant for high speed machinery or machines operating at high temperatures. It used as an industrial oil for improver of lubrication power of oil of cars, airplanes and various other machines and also as a surfactant improver of paints, varnishes, plastics, waxes for better performance. Therefore, future need of huge quantities of jojoba oil for lubricant industry, especially for cars and aeroplanes but oil produced in present would not be sufficient to meet all needs of various industries.

The melting point of jojoba oil is approximately 10°C and the iodine value is nearly 80. The evaporating point of jojoba oil is 315°C which is highest in the vegetable oils. As is free from glyceride so there no need for its retiming and easily modified via hydrolysis, hydrogenation, halogenation, sulfurization, phosphosulfurization and ozonization techniques [8].

The jojoba oil does not contain sulfur therefore, mainly used in various industries sectors. The stability of oil is high and makes its very useful in the electronic and computer industries. It is also suitable for process of sulfurization to produce high quality of lubricant and rubber like material used for making ink and linoleum. Other used of jojoba oil for making plasticizers, candles, detergents and fire retardents [16].

Jojoba has potential applications in cosmetics, pharmaceutical industries, plastic industries, leather industries and bio-fuel industry. The liquid wax and its derivatives have potential in a wide range of applications in cosmetics such as lipsticks, face creams, skin fresheners, winter care lotions, soaps, shampoos and moisturizers [17].

Liquid-wax is generally used in folk remedies for renal colic, sunburn, hair loss, headache and sore throat. The oil prevents rashes and wrinkles formation on the skin if used as a night cream. It is best for hair therapy as it keeps hairs smooth and silky with a shine and also prevents hair fall-out [18].

It has wound healing properties, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-microbial activity insecticidal, antifeedant and antifungal activities. It can be classified as non-toxic substance, and used safely for external applications on healthy skin and wounds burnt skin and to remove stretch marks [19]. Also, the wax resembles human sebum and can help dry and oily skin. It penetrates into skin rapidly without leaving any traces of oil within only a few seconds as it is a straight unsaturated ester chain of fatty alcohols and fatty acids. It is used for massage because of soothing and relaxing nature and gives relief in pain of body [20].

It has no cholesterol or triglycerides and therefore can be used as low calorie edible oil [20]. Indigenous Americans and Indians used jojoba seeds and oil for cooking, hair care and for medicinal treatments such as poison ivy, sores, wounds, colds, cancer and kidney malfunction [21]. Jojoba oil, known as the sperm whale of the desert is almost identical to the whale oil, commonly known as spermaceti [22]. Jojoba oil was heralded as being able to fill this gap because of its similar chemical properties.

Jojoba also had environmental appeal as it is produced from a relatively common plant resource rather than an endangered animal species [23]. Jojoba oil is a suitable coating for some medicinal preparations, stabilizer of penicillin products and inhibitor to growth of tubercle bacilli and anti-foaming agents. It serves as cutting and grinding oil or additive to other lubricants and is suitable as transformer oil [24].

Jojoba oil is edible and act as low calorie additive for vegetable oil. It contains a chemical compound simmondsin, which depress appetite. It does not rancid and may is suitable for vegetable oil [25]. The jojoba meal extract has high 30–35% protein content and major proteins are albumins (79%) and globulins (21%) [26]. It can also be used as a component of food additive, medical food or functional food. It has been found to be useful as supplement of diet for control of body weight in humans [27].

Jojoba meal has a potential use in animal feed but needs detoxification. It has a potential use as a fertilizer because of its high nitrogen content and can be used as soil amendment to enrich soil which is low in organic matter of desert land [28].
