Extraction of Lepidium apetalum seed oil using supercritical carbon dioxide and anti-oxidant activity of the extracted oil.

The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of Lepidium apetalum seed oil and its anti-oxidant activity were studied. The SFE process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD). Independent variables, namely operating pressure, temperature, time and flow rate were evaluated. The maximum extraction of Lepidium apetalum seed oil by SFE-CO₂ (about 36.3%) was obtained when SFE-CO₂ extraction was carried out under the optimal conditions of 30.0 MPa of pressure, 70 °C of temperature, 120 min of extraction time and 25.95 L/h of flow rate. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of four fatty acids in Lepidium apetalum seed oil, with a high content (91.0%) of unsaturated fatty acid. The anti-oxidant activity of the oil was assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay and 2,2'-azino- bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) test. Lepidium apetalum seed oil possessed a notable concentration-dependent antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 1.00 and 3.75 mg/mL, respectively.