Fatty Acid Composition and Bioactive Lipid Profile of Underutilised Seed Oils from the South South Zone of Nigeria

Underutilised seed oils from the South South zone represent an unexplored reservoir of bioactive fatty acids and lipid compounds with potential nutritional and pharmaceutical applications, and their systematic biochemical characterization fills an important gap in Nigerian natural product biochemistry. This study characterizes the fatty acid composition and bioactive lipid profile of seed oils extracted from five underutilised South South Nigerian plant species: Chrysophyllum albidum (African star apple), Irvingia wombolu (bitter bush mango), Afzelia africana, Treculia africana (African breadfruit), and Pentaclethra macrophylla (oil bean). Seeds were obtained from Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states. Oils were extracted by Soxhlet extraction and cold pressing. Fatty acid methyl esters were prepared and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Tocopherol content was determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Sterol profiles were characterized by gas chromatography after saponification. Phospholipid class distribution was determined by thin-layer chromatography-flame ionization detection. Results reveal distinct fatty acid profiles across the five oils, with Pentaclethra macrophylla oil showing a remarkably high eicosenoic acid content of 34.2 percent, unusual for a tropical plant oil. Chrysophyllum albidum seed oil was rich in stearic and oleic acids. All five oils contained measurable levels of gamma- and delta-tocopherols, with Afzelia africana showing the highest total tocopherol content. Beta-sitosterol was the predominant phytosterol across all species. The combined bioactive lipid profiles suggest significant nutraceutical and food industry application potential for these underutilised South South Nigerian seed oils. Keywords: seed oils, fatty acid composition, underutilised plants, South South Nigeria, bioactive lipids.