Two- and three-dimensional spectrofluorimetric qualitative analysis of selected vegetable oils for biomedical applications

Abstract

Vegetable oils obtained from different plants are known for their beneficial effects on prophylaxis and supportive treatment of a great deal of inflammatory-mediated conditions. Their wide range of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and the presence of other ingredients (e.g., tocopherols, chlorophylls), provide them with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties, which are worth being exploited. In this study, we have carried out the spectrofluorometric analysis of selected vegetable oils, namely apricot (Prunus armeniaca) kernel oil; blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) seed oil; argan (Argania spinosa) nut oil; kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) seed oil; grape (Vitis vinifera) seed oil; evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil and meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba) seed oil, with the purpose to detect their fluorescent ingredients for further identification and bioactivity comparison. The obtained two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) emission spectra offered a complete description of the fluorescent components of the mixture and revealed different features for studied oils.