Physicochemical and free radical scavenging activity of Adansonia digitata seed oil

Abstract

Abstract Adansonia digitata is used in folk medicine as antipyretic, analgesic and as an antioxidant. The aim of the research was to study the physicochemical, antioxidant and acute toxicity profiles of the oil extracted from the seed nuts. Standard methods were used to ascertain the physicochemical parameters, antioxidant properties and the oral acute toxicity. The moisture content (MC), total ash (TA), acid insoluble ash (AIA), alcohol soluble extractive (ASE) and the water-soluble extractive (WSE) were: 4 %, 4 %, 0.33 %, 22 % and 20.67 % respectively. The oil yielded 15.29 %. The GC-MS revealed some fatty acids/esters. The oil was soluble in varieties organic solvents including petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform and others. Steroids were detected in the oil through qualitative phytochemical screening. The saponification value (SV) of 30.86 mgKOH/g, acid value (AV) of 140.25 mgKOH/g, Ester value (EV) of 109.39 mgKOH/g, iodine value (IV) of 104.05 gI2/100 g and specific gravity (SG) of 0.92 were obtained. The oil was safe up to a dose of 5000 mg/kg per body weight via the oral route at one dose level. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the oil showed the highest inhibition (92.3 %) at 3.30 mg/mL and the least inhibition of 86.6 % at 0.12 mg/mL. Therefore, this research has revealed that Adansonia digitata oil contain phytochemicals with free radical scavenging properties and the oil is not toxic.