Fatty acid and unsaponifiable composition of ten philippine food plant oils for possible nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications

Abstract

Ten readily available and underutilized plant materials in the Philippines were investigated for their oil content and composition, level and composition of unsaponifiable fraction and storage stability for possible nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications. Based on oil extraction of each sample, the highest oil content of 25.00 ± 0.61 % was extracted from rambutan seed. Long chain fatty acids that can be used for skin-care products such as oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidic acids were detected in all food plant oils samples using gas chromatographic analysis. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that serves as the building block of human brain tissue and retina of the eye, was found in purslane oil. Multivariate discriminant analysis revealed that kernel oils of katchamita and carabao mangoes are relatively close based on their fatty acid profile. Close association was also exhibited by oils of malunggay seed and rice bran. Slow tendency to undergo hydrolytic rancidity of malunggay seed oil is indicated by its low free fatty acid value of 2.13 ± 0.13 meq/kg oil. A peroxide value of 0.95 ± 0.09 mg O2 / kg of malunggay oil revealed that it is the most stable among the oils. These seven-month storage stability tests of the malunggay oil make it useful as ingredient in cosmetic products. Of the oils extracted, avocado kernel oil showed the highest unsaponifiable content (72.63 ± 2.91%). The unsaponifiable fraction was subjected to TLC analysis using 5:1 v/v petroleum ether-ethyl acetate as solvent, coupled with densitometric analysis using the CP ATLAS v. 2.0 program and results showed that the highest phytosterol content of 57.59 ± 2.80 % was found in the carabao mango seed oil. Antitumor, cholesterol-lowering, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties are the reported bioactivities of phytosterols. This study demonstrates potential sources of nutritional lipids, which can serve as functional and innovative ingredients utilized for nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications.