Physicochemical Characteristics of the Seed and Seed Oil of the Potentially Medicinal Plant Ziziphus oenoplia

ABSTRACT

The proximate composition of seeds, physicochemical characteristics, and fatty acid profiles of Ziziphus oenoplia seed oil were determined in this study. The seeds possessed low moisture (4.54%) and high carbohydrate (42.96%) and protein content (40%), making the seed oil suitable for storage and consumption. The saponification value (197.80) of the seed oil makes it a promising source for the soap and shampoo industry. The iodine and saponification values are comparable to those of major edible seed oils such as groundnut and soybean. The high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (53.41%), especially oleic acid (53.38%), present in the oil makes it a better source for a low-fat diet and may reduce the risk of various heart-related diseases.

KEYWORDS:

• fatty acids
• oleic acid
• physicochemical characteristics
• seed oil
• Ziziphus oenoplia

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Funding

This work was partly supported by the DST-PURSE-Phase II program.

About the authors

Hosakatte Niranjana Murthy, PhD, Professor, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of dietary supplements.

Kadanthottu Sebastian Joseph, PhD, researcher, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of phytochemicals for discovery of dietary supplements.

Abhishek Madiwal, MSc, researcher, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of phytochemicals for discovery of dietary supplements.

Dinesh Rajen Gerald, MSc, researcher, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of phytochemicals for discovery of dietary supplements.

Mahananda Badiger, MSc, research assistant, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of phytochemicals for discovery of dietary supplements.

Lakshmi Kolkar, MSc, research assistant, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of phytochemicals for discovery of dietary supplements.

Reshma Hiremath, MSc, research assistant, Post Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, is interested in isolation and characterization of phytochemicals for discovery of dietary supplements.