Djibril Diedhiou^{1, 2,}, Mamadou Faye^{3, 4}, Moussa Bagha Diedhiou³, Adama Diop³, Laure Candy⁴, Virginie Buthod-Cuam⁴

This study focuses on characterizing the biochemical composition of Carapa procera seeds oil harvested in Casamance. The kernel accounts for 71.23% of the seed, constituting the main fraction from which the oil is extracted. Analysis of the lipid profile reveals that the oil is dominated by oleic acid (45.7%), palmitic acid (32.75%), and linoleic acid (13.02%). This oil is composed of 97.22% triglycerides, distributed mainly among T52 (PLS) triglycerides (nearly 46%), T54 (LPO+LSLl) (about 30.5%), and T50 (OPPl+OSM) (nearly 20%), with minor fractions of T56 (OSA+OSG) (2.57%) and T48 (OPM) and T58 (OSB) (less than 1% each). The diglyceride content (C16 and C18) is 2.07%. The oil also has a phytosterol content of 9.09 g/kg, largely dominated by β-sitosterol (78%) and campesterol (16.17%), as well as a tocopherol content of 2.59 mg/kg, consisting mainly of γ-tocotrienol (nearly 49%), followed by α-tocotrienol (17.2%), α-tocopherol (15.73%), and δ-tocotrienol (12.72%). These results highlight an oil with a balanced lipid profile that is rich in minor bioactive compounds, particularly tocotrienols, reinforcing its potential value for cosmetic, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications.

Biochemical composition, Carapa procera, seeds, oil, Casamance, Senegal