<b>CHEMICAL CONTENT OF THE SEEDS AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SEED OILS FROM <i>CITRULLUS COLOCYNTHIS, COCCINIA GRANDIS, CUCUMIS METULIFERUS</i> AND <i>CUCUMIS PROPHETARUM</i> OF NIGER</b>

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition of the seeds of Citrullus colocynthis,Coccinia grandis, Cucumis metuliferus and Cucumis prophetarum belonging to the family of Cucurbitaceae. For each variety, the ash, protein, fat, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc were determined. The oils were characterized by the determination of the acid (IA), iodine (II), saponification (IS), refraction (IR) numbers as well as the fatty acids and anti-oxidants composition and the nonsaponification percentage. Our results showed: 13.19-26.86 % protein content, 14.48-24.62 % fat content, and 2.00-4.46 % % ash content. Respectively the mineral matter was as follow: calcium (246.90-569.47 mg/100 g); copper (5.10-5.79 mg/100 g); iron (10.95-15.57 mg/100 g); magnesium (209.83-289.07 mg/100 g); potassium (465.27-1205.12 mg/100 g); phosphorus (30.03-49.13 mg/100 g); sodium (11.89-16.67 mg/100 g) and zinc (1.05-2.92 mg/100 g). The physicochemical characterization of the oil revealed that: IA was within 2.90-6.31 mg of KOH/g, IS within 171.67-208.90 mg of KOH/g, II within 138.10-146.74 g of iodine for 100 g of oils and IR within 1.4607-1.4620. The non-saponification percentage was within 1.07-3.39 % and the predominant fatty acids were palmitic acid (15.12-17.29 %), stearic acid (7.65-9.04 %), oleic acid (10.77 %-18.57 %) and linoleic acid (56.21-64.188 %). The study of the anti-oxidants fraction showed: 8.04-80 mg/kg α-tocopherol content, 83.14-619.37 mg/kg γ-tocopherol content and 0.05-0.23 mg/kg β-carotene content.

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad (bitter apple fruit): A review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology, traditional uses and nutritional potential

“…Moisture contents of the mature fruit are quite high accounting for more than 90% of edible weight portion (Aviara et al, 2007). In another report, moisture contents of bitter apple seeds were found to be 4.91 g/100 g and the amount of seed protein and ash were 13.19 and 2.00 g/100 g, respectively (Sadou et al, 2007). The seeds have been investigated as a possible source of medicinal/edible oil.…”

“…Linoleic and oleic acids are the principal mono-unsaturated fatty acids (Table 1), and this high content of linoleic acid (50.6-60.1%) in seed oil, which is an essential fatty acid, makes this oil medicinally valuable. The fatty acid profile of the seed oil reveals that it falls in the category of linoleic-oleic acid oils and is analogous to several other vegetable oils (Sawaya et al, 1983;Sadou et al, 2007;Sebbagh et al, 2009). Therefore, the Citrullus colocynthis oil, like some other cucurbit seed oils, is likely to have a potential uses as a cooking oil.…”

“…Palmitic (8.1-17.3%) and stearic acids (6.1-10.5%) constitute the two principal saturated fatty acids of this oil (Sawaya et al, 1983;Sadou et al, 2007;Sebbagh et al, 2009). Linoleic and oleic acids are the principal mono-unsaturated fatty acids (Table 1), and this high content of linoleic acid (50.6-60.1%) in seed oil, which is an essential fatty acid, makes this oil medicinally valuable.…”

“…Preliminary phytochemical screening of the Citrullus colocynthis fruit showed the presence of phenolics and flavonoids. Subsequent quantification showed the 3.07 mg/g dry Fruit pulp (Sayed et al, 1973) 6 Volatiles/Terpenoids 4-(1-methyl) ethoxy-1-butanol; 5-methoxy, 2-methyl, 2-pentanol; 1-cyclopentyl, 2-propene-1-ol and 2-furanmethanol, tetrahydro-5-methyl-cis and trans isomers, 3, 4-dimethyl, 2-hexanone; 2-methyl, 4-heptanone and 3-Methyl, 2-heptanone, 1-propoxy pentane and 2, 3-epoxy methyl propionate Fruit pulp (Gurudeeban et al, 2011) 7 Fatty acids Palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acids Fruit seed oils (Sawaya et al, 1983;Sadou et al, 2007;Sebbagh et al, 2009) Myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids Seeds (Gurudeeban et al, 2010) Tocopherols and Carotenes α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, β-carotene Fruit seed oil (Kalhoro et al, 2002) material total phenolics (measured as gallic acid) and 0.51 mg/g dry material total flavonoids (measured as catechin equivalents) (Hussain et al, 2013). Eight phenolic acids including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumeric acid, sinapic acid and ferulic acid, and four flavonoids including catechin, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol were detected in the ethanol extract of Citrullus colocynthis fruits (Hussain et al, 2013).…”

“…Besides the medicinal uses, Citrullus colocynthis fruit is also employed as food for animals and humans (Sadou et al, 2007). For over a decade, the scientists of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), have investigated the nutritional and functional properties of the seeds of this plant, and concluded that they have the potential to find a place in the food industry (National Research Council, 2006).…”