Abstract:
The study investigates the antioxidant potential of commonly used vegetable oils
viz., coconut (CNO), sunflower (SFO), rice bran (RBO), groundnut (GNO),
sesame (SESO) and mustard oil (MO), where the oils were extracted with methanol;
and these methanolic extracts were used for the antioxidant studies. Fatty acid
composition by gas chromatography, physicochemical parameters such as specific
gravity, refractive index, acid value, iodine value and peroxide value were also
analysed. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities of the oils
(DPPH, ABTS, superoxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging assays) were evaluated.
Phenolic compounds were identified by high-pressure liquid chromatography
(HPLC). Percentage TPC was highest in groundnut oil with 3.09 mg/100 g oil
followed by coconut oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil
with 1.8, 0.89, 0.56, 0.49 and 0.33 mg/100 g oil, respectively. The methanolic
extracts of oils showed potential antioxidant activity in terms of super oxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity.
