Profile characterization and biological activities of cold pressed Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum) seed oil

Abstract

Lepidium sativum is cultivated mainly for the edible oil from its seeds, and considered as an unutilized and neglected crop despite its important properties. Its oil fraction is used to produce soap and stabilize linseed oil when it is mixed with wild mustard seed oil. Once converted into fatty acid methyl esters, it represents a good substitute for imported petroleum diesel after alkaline transesterification reaction. In the current study, Lepidium sativum seeds cultivated in Tunisia and the physicochemical properties and nutrient profile of its cold pressed seed oil were investigated. The antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities of the above oil were also assessed. Lepidium sativum seed oil was abundant in both linolenic (35.59 ± 1.9%) and oleic (21.14 ± 0.63%) acids, and high amounts of β-sitosterol (42.57 ± 2.96 mg/100 g), campesterol (20.04 ± 1.4 mg/100 g) and Δ 5,24 stigmastadienol (11.82 ± 0.45 mg/100 g) were detected. The total tocopherol content of Lepidium sativum seed oil reached 136.83 ± 7.6 mg/100 g with a predominance of γ-tocopherol (86.23%). Its seed oil exhibited an IC50 of 10.33 ± 0.05 mg/mL and a radical scavenging activity of 415.6 ± 40 Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) for the DPPH and the ABTS assays, respectively. While the thermal analysis proved a high thermal stability of Lepidium sativum seed oil, that of eight bacteria and one fungal strain showed no noticeable bacterial or antifungal effects. It was also revealed that Lepidium sativum seed oil held a remarkable anti-inflammatory activity. Hence, the obtained results evidenced remarkable chemical, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Lepidium sativum seed oil, which might potentially be promising for enhancing human health and preventing age-related diseases.