Phytochemicals, Proximate Analysis, and Characterizations of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Seeds Oil

The neem plant has long been used to produce industrial items and in traditional medicine to treat various human illnesses.These elements include the plant's leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, seeds, and roots.Among these portions, neem seeds stand out because of their remarkably high oil content compared to other tree parts.Despite its importance and various uses, detailed characterizations and proximate analysis of the seed have not been reported before, as such it is imperative to explore it more.In this work, neem seed oil extraction was done using a solvent extraction method with hexane and methanol as solvents.FTIR and proximate analysis were carried out on the sample before the extraction, the result revealed the presence of various functional groups such as hydroxyl group, amine group, nitriles group, carbonyl group, and aromatics.As well as a moisture content of 20.0%, 5% ash content, 12.4% crude fat, 18.4% crude protein, 42.2 % crude fiber, and carbohydrate content of 1.6%.Phytochemicals screening and UV-Vis analysis were then carried out on the extracted oil and the result revealed the presence of carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, quinines, alkaloids, and other important phytochemicals in both n-hexane and methanol extract.As such, the results obtained from this study revealed that neem seed and its oil could be used in industries for the production of various drugs, paints, pesticides, fertilizers, and other important materials.The oil's potential for use in the creation of numerous medications, including analgesics, antipyretics, antiasthmatics, anti-cancers, antihypertensives, and many more, is indicated by the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and glycosides.Similarly, the presence of quinones indicates that the oil can be used to synthesize a wide range of compounds, including oxidizing agents, colors, laxatives, and several chemical intermediates.Similarly, terpenoids are equally essential since, in addition to being used to make cosmetics, flavorings, and insect repellents, they are also utilized in the production of numerous medications that cure cancer and malaria.