An Initiative Research of the Physicochemical Properties and Fatty Acid Composition of the Crescentia Cujete L. Seed Oil

Objectives: To establish the quality standard of the Crescentia cujete L. seed oil. Material and methods: The Crescentia cujete L. seed oil was extracted by Soxhlet system with n-hexane solvent; the acid, peroxide, and iodine values were determined by the methods described in the Vietnamese pharmacopoeia V; GC/MS method was used to determine the composition and the major components of the seed oil. Results and conclusion: The chemical composition and characteristics of Crescentia cujete L. seed oil have been determined. The result showed that seeds have a high oil content (16.44%). The acid, peroxide, and iodine values were 4.02, 9.6, and 92, respectively. A total of 7 fatty acids were identified in the Crescentia cujete L. seed oil (palmitic acid C16:0 – 19.56%, acid stearic C18:0 – 3.85%, nonadecanoic acid C19:0 – 1.20%, eicosanoic acid C20:0 – 0.54%, octadecadienoic acid C18:2 – 73.75%, palmitoleic acid C16:1 – 0.31%, 11-eicosenoic acid C19:1 – 0.15%). These results will be further used in the development of regulatory documents (draft monograph for the Pharmacopoeia) on the Crescentia cujete L. oil. 
 