Antioxidant activity of the fractions separated from the unsaponifiable matter of bene hull oil

The unsaponifiable matter (USM) of bene hull oil were separated into hydrocarbons (7.3%), carotenes (7.1%), tocols (48.4%), linear and triterpenic alcohols (1.7%), methyl sterols (11.2%), sterols (6.2%), and triterpenic dialcohols (18.0%). Regardless hydrocarbons fraction, the whole USM and all fractions had the EC50 (mg/ml) value significantly lower than (USM, 0.99; tocols, 1.05; carotenes, 3.93; triterpenoids, 1.74–9.89) that of α-tocopherol (36.7). α-Tocopherol, the whole USM, and all fractions were able to increase significantly the stability of sunflower oil at 50 °C, so that the highest stabilizing effect belonged to the USM fractions with no significant differences amongst them, followed by the whole USM and α-tocopherol. The sunflower oil had an OSI (oil/oxidative stability index) of 3.54 h, which was considerably promoted by some of components (tocols, 4.35; hydrocarbons, 4.43 h; USM, 4.5 h; triterpenic alcohols, 5.1 h; carotenes, 5.49 h). The FRAP and DPPH tests showed nearly similar results.