PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, FATTY ACID COMPOSITION AND ACUTE ORAL TOXICITY OF COLD-PRESSED SEED OIL FROM GIVOTIA STIPULARIS RADCL.-SM., AN ENDEMIC SPECIES OF MADAGASCAR

Givotia stipularis Radcl.-Sm. is an endemic Malagasy plant whose seeds constitute a potential source of vegetable oil. The present study aimed to characterize the physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of cold-pressed seed oil and to perform a preliminary assessment of its acute oral toxicity.
Oil was extracted by mechanical cold pressing and characterized through physicochemical analyses, mineral determination, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Acute oral toxicity was evaluated in albino mice receiving single doses of 400, 800 and 1500 mg/kg body weight.
The extraction yield reached 18.42%. The oil exhibited a density of 0.7709 g/cm³, iodine value of 132.17 g I₂/100 g, saponification value of 173.54 mg KOH/g, refractive index of 1.478 and peroxide value of 8.52 meq O₂/kg. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed that linoleic acid (36.25%), linolenic acid (27.65%) and oleic acid (24.31%) were the major fatty acids identified, representing approximately 88.21% of the total fatty acid composition. Mineral analysis showed predominance of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Thin-layer chromatography suggested the presence of fatty acids, sterols, tocopherols and carotenoid-like compounds. No mortality was observed in mice during the 24-hour observation period following administration of the tested doses.
These results demonstrate that G. stipularis seed oil is characterized by a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids and a low acute oral toxicity under the experimental conditions employed. Further investigations on oxidative stability, long-term safety and biological activities are required before considering nutritional, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications.