Abstract:
Fixed oils of plant seeds used as raw materials in industries to produce commodities for our daily
life and contain fatty acids compounds essential for human health. This study was aimed to
investigate the yield, phytochemical composition, fatty acid composition, and antimicrobial
activity of fixed oil from Nicandra physaloides seeds. Phytochemical screening for
determination of alkaloids, glycoside, quinones, steroids, terpenoids, etc. was carried out using
chemical test methods; antimicrobial activity tests were carried on the bacteria ( S. aureus,
E. coli, P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis ) and fungi ( Fusarium spp and S. cerevisia) using agar
diffusion method. Fatty acid composition of the oil was determined from GC-MS data of the oil
methyl ester. Proximate and physicochemical tests were carried following a standard protocol
(AOAC). The oil yield was 19.66%. The proximate and physicochemical analysis data for the oil
indicated: relative density (0.86 ± 0.01), refractive index at 21 ◦
C, (1.48 ± 0.00), moisture
content (1.32 ± 0.07), ash contents (1.33 ± 0.04), acid value (1.63 ± 0.00 mg KOH/g), free fatty
acid (0.30 ± 0.02 as oleic %), peroxide value (0.49 ± 0.02 meq O2/kg oil), iodine value (150.77 ±
0.03 g I2 /100 g oil), saponification value (181.58 ± 4.32 mg KOH/g), ester value (179.95 mg
KOH/g) and unsaponifiable matter (0.83). GC-MS analysis of the oil revealed the presences of
Palmitic acid (12.88%), Oleic acid (18.40 %), Linoleic acid (63.10%) and α-Linolenic acid
(5.65%). The phytochemical screening of the fixed oil showed the presence of alkaloids,
glycosides, quinones, steroids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The oil showed an activity against
bacteria on B. subtilis (10), P. aeruginosa (11), E. coli (12) and S. aureus (12), and the fungi
S. Cervisiae (12) and Fusarium spp (7), with zone of inhibition (mm). Therefore, N. physaloides
seed oil has a potential to use in cosmetic, soap, pharmaceutical industries and as a biofuel oil
resource and for medicinal purposes. Further study is needed to study the nutritional
compositions of the products of oil extracted from seeds in order to ascertain its usage as foods
for animals.
