Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Bioactive Compounds in the Seed Oil of Pentaclethra macrophylla (African Oil Bean Tree)

This study characterized the bioactive components in the seed oil of Pentaclethra macrophylla to establish its usefulness in replacing costly convectional oils in industrial applications. Identification and quantification of the bioactive attributes were performed using gas-liquid chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) after extraction with n-Hexane. The main bioactive contents per 100 g in the oil were sitosterol (457.58 mg), campesterol (34.54 mg) and stigma-sterol (18.52 mg) been the most abundant sterols. The oil contained per 100 g β-carotene (15.89 mg), xanthophyll (10.32 mg), lutein (9.22 mg), and neo-xanthin (5.46 mg) as the highest carotenoids. The oil has ɣ- tocopherol (43.83 mg) and α-tocopherol (3.35 mg) also per 100 g. The main terpenes per 100 g in the oil were γ-elemene (17.28 mg), α-caryophyllene (13.06 mg), β-elemene (12.43 mg) and D-limonene (6.11 mg). Terpenoids including β-amyrin, α-amyrin and lupeol were found in trace amounts.