Composition of Fatty Acids and Tocopherols Content in Oilseeds of Six Wild Selected Plants from Kahuzi-Biega National Park/DR. Congo

Research on six wild oilseed plants from Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo, reveals significant variations in fatty acid (FA) and tocopherol content. Prunus africana seeds exhibited the highest oil yield (42.2%) with stearic acid dominating its saturated FA fraction (76.19%), while Sesbania sesban seeds showed the highest levels of polyunsaturated FAs, including linoleic acid (58.82%) and alpha-linolenic acid (5.88%). Tocopherol content was highest in S. sesban oil (10.9 mg/100 g), followed by Entada abyssinica and Macaranga kilimandscharica oils. These findings highlight the potential for selecting specific plants based on desired FA and tocopherol profiles, supporting sustainable exploitation for commercial and nutritional purposes.

Minzangi, K., Mpiana, P., Samvura, B., Kaaya, A., Bertrand, M., & Kadima, J. (2015). Composition of Fatty Acids and Tocopherols Content in Oilseeds of Six Wild Selected Plants from Kahuzi-Biega National Park/DR. Congo. European Journal of Medicinal Plants, 8(3), 157–166. https://doi.org/10.9734/ejmp/2015/17297