Assessment of Commercially Safflower Oils (Carthami Oleum Raffinatum) in Terms of European Pharmacopoeia Criteria and Their Weight Control Potentials.

Objectives: Safflower oils, which are sold commercially, are in demand with food, cosmetics, and health-promoting claims. In this study, safflower oil samples belonging to 11 different brands were evaluated in terms of European Pharmacopoeia Criteria 7.0. Additionally, in vitro weight control potential of all samples was investigated.

Materials and methods: Samples to be analyzed were purchased from pharmacies, herbal, online, and cosmetics stores. Acid and peroxide values of 11 safflower samples and analysis of their fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were carried out according to the "Carthami oleum raffinatum" monograph registered in the European Pharmacopeia 7.0. To test the effects of all samples on weight control, their inhibitory effects on carbohydrate-digesting enzymes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase) were evaluated using spectrophotometric methods.

Results: Out of 11 oil samples, only two of them had acid and peroxide values below the reference value. According to GC analysis, safflower oil samples are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid) (67.10-99.53%) of total fatty acids in its content are oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Saturated fatty acids were 0.58 to 12.18% of the total fatty acid methyl esters in oils. When evaluated in terms of the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes that hydrolyze carbohydrates, the results showed that safflower oil samples had no inhibitory activity on these enzymes.

Conclusion: It has been determined in this report that many safflower oil samples on the market do not meet the quality criteria recommended in European Pharmacopoeia 7.0. It was observed that safflower oil did not show any inhibitory effect on these two enzymes, which is considered a rational approach for weight control.