Physico-chemical properties and fatty acid composition of Lagneraria siceraria seed oil

Abstract

Oil was extracted from the dehulled seeds of Lagneraria siceraria (bottle gourd) and analysed for physico-chemical properties, as well a fatty acid composition. Standard procedures were employed in all analysis. The seed oil was liquid at room temperature with percentage yield (23.65%). The oil was characterized in terms of specific gravity (0.918 g/cm3), refractive index (1.34), viscosity (26.46 X 103 poise), melting point (11-14.5 􏱏C), 􏱐􏱑i􏱒􏱓􏱔􏱕e c􏱑􏱖􏱓e􏱖􏱓 (0.18%), 􏱒a􏱗􏱑􏱖ifica􏱓i􏱑􏱖 􏱘a􏱙􏱔e (203.36 􏱐g KOH/g), unsaponifiable matter (7.13%), iodine value (46.1 g/100g), peroxide value (7.5 meq/kg), free fatty acid value (18.42%), acid value (60.02 mg KOH/g) and ester value (143.34 mg KOH/g). It was also classified as non- d􏱕􏱄i􏱖g (i􏱑di􏱖e 􏱘a􏱙􏱔e 􏱚115 g/100 g). The 􏱗e􏱕􏱑􏱅ide 􏱘a􏱙􏱔e i􏱖dica􏱓e􏱒 􏱓ha􏱓 􏱓he 􏱑i􏱙 i􏱒 less prone to rancidity with iodine value less than 30meq/kg. The high saponification value qualifies it for use in the manufacture of soaps and shampoos. Four classes of fatty acid were identified in the oil: 􏱗a􏱙􏱐i􏱓ic acid (C16:1) (13.5 􏱃 0.21), 􏱒􏱓ea􏱕ic acid (C18:1) (6.5 􏱃 0.96), 􏱑􏱙eic acid (C18:1) (11.6 􏱃 0.62) and linoleic acid (C18:2) (68.4 􏱃 0.13). Li􏱖􏱑􏱙eic acid 􏱛a􏱒 􏱓he 􏱐􏱑􏱒􏱓 ab􏱔􏱖da􏱖􏱓 fa􏱓􏱓􏱄 acid i􏱖 􏱓he 􏱑i􏱙. The fatty acid content of the oil reveals that L. Siceraria seed oil could be a rich source of oil for domestic and industrial purposes if exploited.