Abstract
Studies were conducted on the chemical composition and antioxidant activities of oil extracted from Maclura pomifera seeds. The yield of oil is about 32.75% on a dry-weight basis. The chemical composition of the oil include: The fatty acids: linoleic, oleic, stearic and palmitic were the main acid. A relatively high level of sterols, beta-sitosterol, accounted for 81% of the total sterol content in the seed oil and is followed by campesterol, stigmasterol, lupeol and Delta(5)-avenesterol. The seed oil was rich in tocopherols with the following order: alpha-tocopherol; gamma-tocopherol; beta-tocopherol and delta-tocopherol. The total phenols content (Folin-Ciocalteau assay) and antioxidant capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method, DPPH.) of seed oil were analyzed. Total phenol values are expressed in terms of Gallic acid equivalent (mg/100 g of oil) and antioxidant capacity in EC50. The antioxidant activities of oil were significantly correlated with the total phenolic content and indicate that oil may impart health benefits and should be regarded as a source of antioxidant. The results showed that M. pomifera seed oil could be used in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food products.