Phytochemical Profiling, Fatty Acids Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Oyster Nut (Telfairia Pedata) Oil.
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Date
2026-04-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
DISCOVER
Abstract
Oyster nut (Telfairia pedata (Sims) Hook) is a nutrient-dense nut widely consumed
in East Africa, particularly among lactating mothers, due to its reported lactogenic
properties. Its nutritional and phytochemical composition is influenced by ecological
conditions, which may affect its ethnopharmacological potential. This study
evaluated the phytochemical profile, fatty acid composition, and antioxidant activity
of Oyster nut oil obtained from Njombe, Tanzania. Gas chromatography–mass
spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to identify bioactive compounds, while fatty
acid composition was determined using Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy
(FT-NIR). Antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)
and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays.
GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of seven compounds: 1-isopropylidene-4-
methylcyclohexane, oct-5-en-2-yn-4-ol, 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-hexadeca-2,6,10,14-
tetraen-1-ol, 4-Allyl-2,6-dimethoxy-phenol, 4-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-benzaldehyde,
elemicin and squalene. Among these, only squalene has previously been reported in
Oyster nut; the remaining are reported here for the first time. The oil was composed
of a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (54.7%) while the saturated fatty acids
constituted (45.3%). This overall fatty acid composition of the oil was dominated by
linoleic acid (45.6%), followed by palmitic acid (32.4%), stearic acid (13.2%), oleic acid
(8.5%), and linolenic acid (0.3%). Antioxidant assays demonstrated concentration-
dependent activity, with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values
of 12.99 µg/mL (DPPH) and 99.40 µg/mL (H₂O₂), higher than that of ascorbic acid
(11.39 µg/mL).
These findings highlight the potential of Oyster nut oil as a functional food with
promising health-promoting properties.
Description
This Journal article was published by Discover in 2026.
Keywords
Telfairia Pedata, Fatty Acids, Antioxidant Activity, Phytochemicals, Vegetable Oil