Fat-Soluble Bioactives, Fatty Acid Profile and Radical Scavenging Activity of Semecarpus anacardium Seed Oil

Semecarpus anacardium (family Anacardiaceae) has many applications in the Ayurvedic and Siddha systems of medicine in India. Detailed knowledge on the composition of S. anacardium oil, in consideration of potential utilization, is of major importance. In this investigation, column chromatography, gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography techniques were performed to analyze lipid classes, fatty acids and fat-soluble bioactives of S. anacardium crude seed oil. The amount of neutral lipids in the crude seed oil was the highest, followed by glycolipids and phospholipids, respectively. Linoleic followed by palmitic and oleic were the major fatty acids. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids was higher in neutral lipid classes than in the polar lipids. The main sterol compounds were beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. delta-Tocopherol followed by beta-tocopherol were the main tocopherols. When S. anacardium seed oil and extra virgin olive oil were compared for their radical scavenging activity toward 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical and galvinoxyl radical (by electron spin resonance spectrometry), S. anacardium seed oil exhibited a stronger RSA.