Physico-chemical Characterization, Composition and Potential Uses of Albizia julibrissin Seed Oil

Abstract

:Albizia julibrissin seed oil was extracted by the continuous method of soxhlet. We were interested to some physicochemical parameters of the oil. The main results showed that the saponification number was of 190; the iodine value was of 111 whereas the acid value was equal to 2.54. Concerning oil composition, the main fatty acids (FA) were linoleic (57.7 %), palmitic (12.5 %) and oleic ones (9.8 %). The major triacylglycerols (TAGs) were represented by ECN 42 accounting for 56.2 % of TAGs. Concerning ECN 44, it was represented by OLL. Furthermore, PLL accounted for 39 %. It is worth mentioning that A. julibrissin oil was rich in β-carotene and that it was characterized by a low quantity of chlorophylls according to its UV spectrum in the region 400-800 nm. Concerning the UV spectra in the region 200-400nm, our profile revealed an important absorbency in the domain UV-C and low absorbencies in the domains UV-B and UV-A. These findings showed that A. julibrissin seed oil could be valorised in many sectors such as cosmetic, pharmaceutical and agro industry.