Quality Parameters and Antioxidant Properties of <i>Ceiba Pentandra</i> (L.) Gaertn, from Far North Cameroon

The worldwide use of oil from Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. was also experienced in the Far North region of Cameroon due to its wide spread and abundance in the area. This study aimed at presenting proximate characteristics of the oilseed and its oil that may serve as justification to its gross use especially as traditional medicine and food in the study area. Plant materials harvested from the study area were treated and oil extracted from the kernels. Proximate analyses were carried out as well as the antioxidant tests and fatty acid profiling. The results showed that seeds make up 45.13% of the fruits and had a total lipid content of 22.64%. This oil was rich in polyphenols and flavonoids thus the important IC50 values for antioxidant assays were ABTS 96.27; DPPH 121.12; β carotene 84.63; Metal chelating 81.49 that conferred to the oil the numerous uses observed. This work was innovative in that it presented a comprehensive antioxidant profiling of ceiba pentandra oil from the Far North region of Cameroon. Due to the high amount of unsaturated fatty acids present in the oil, and good antioxidant properties, Ceiba from Cameroon could be marked as rich and good for nutritive and therapeutic consumption.