Assessment of the Phytochemical Constituents and Antioxidant Properties of Oils from Dura and Tenera Varieties of Elaeis guineensis Fruits

There have been acclaimed medicinal benefits of palm oil and kernel by rural dwellers in the southeastern part Nigeria. The study investigated phytochemical constituents antioxidant properties different varieties using standard methods. samples include: DPO (dura oil), TPO (tenera NDPKO native NTPKO (native tenera HDPKO hexane extract) HTPKO extract). Results obtained revealed presence steroids, glycosides, terpenoids, triterpenes phenolics all whereas saponins, flavonoids coumarins were only detected DPO, NDPKO. result quantitative analysis showed that statistically had highest contents terpenoids (1.77 ± 0.14 mg/kg) (288.50 23.30 mg/100g). Saponins, with values corresponding to 1.00 0.001 mg/kg, 308.30 1.81 mg/100g 43.98 0.13 µg/100g respectively. Furthermore, was found content steroids (150.40 0.24 mg/100g) while glycosides (9.01 0.07 (45.04 0.12 at p<0.05. β-carotene (2.06 0.00 mg/100ml) vitamin A (105.60 0.15 IU/100ml) but lowest E (3.73± 0.30 µg/ml) (p<0.05) (4.67 0.03 among samples. FRAP (780.00 1.82 µg/100g) least (601.30 0.91 µg/100g). exhibited a concentration-dependent increase percentage inhibition DPPH free radical showing an capacity about 70-80%. results from physicochemical significant positive effects thus justifying their ethnomedical use.