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.