Abstract
Vegetable oils are the subject of several studies considering their importance as biological properties. Chemical composition of plants oil depends on the plant family in which they were extracted. The study here deals with analysis of chemical composition of the extract obtained from seeds of Mesembryanthemum forsskalii naturally grown in the region of AlJouf located in the northern part of Saudi Arabia. Examination of anti-oxidant and anti-fungal properties of seeds oil extract was determined. Results showed that this extract contained 23 chemical elements with good amounts of phytosterols (35%). In addition, the antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH test which showed good activity and a value of IC50 = 3.43 +/- 0.19 mg/mL. For the determination of the antifungal activity, 11 fungal species belonging to 7 genera were isolated from children hairs. Aspergillus carneus and Penicillium chrysogenium were the most frequent fungi (32.45, 25.41%), respectively, whereas the appearance of Penicillium chrysogenium and Fusarium oxysporum were found to be (17.67 and 12.33%), respectively. Results showed that the percentage of boys infested hair by fungi was higher than that of girls with a percentage 70.85 and 55.62%, respectively. Antifungal activity of ethanolic seeds extract was carried out on the isolated non-dermatophytes keratinophilic fungi. It was found that the fungi of Penicillium chrysogenium and Aspergillus. fumigatus were inhibited by seeds oil extract with 88% followed by Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus carneus with 85% of inhibition and the rest of the isolated fungi were inhibited between 60 and 75%. Based on these encouraging results, seeds oil extract of M. forskalii can be interesting for food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries.