Chemical and nutritional studies onTerminalia bellirica Roxb. Kernel and its oil

Abstract

Terminalia bellirica Roxb. is a valuable tree of Indian forests. The seeds are valued medicinally and also industrially, for tanning purposes. The kernels, which are not currently used for edible purposes, have 40% oil and 35% protein. The oil extracted from the kernels is sweet-smelling and has palmitic (35%), oleic (24%) and linoleic (31%) acids as major fatty acids. The proximate principles, antinutritional factors and amino acid composition of the protein of the kernel are analyzed. Short term feeding of the oil at 10% level in a 10% casein protein diet to rats for 4 weeks resulted in growth comparable to that observed with animals fed a similar diet containing 10% groundnut oil. The protein utilization of casein used in the diet, as judged by the protein efficiency ratio (PER) and net protein utilization (NPU), was not adversely affected by theT. bellirica oil in the diet. The liver and heart lipid profiles of both the groups as reflected by the parameters, total lipids, total cholesterol and triglycerides content were comparable except for the heart triglycerides of the TBO-fed group, which were elevated. The absorption of nutrients like calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen was not adversely affected by the intake ofT. bellirica oil.T. bellirica oil is absorbed to the same extent as groundnut oil. The results of this preliminary study indicate thatT. bellirica kernel oil may be used for edible purposes because it is a good source of linoleic acid. However, long term toxicological studies are necessary to establish its safety before it can be recommended as an edible oil for human consumption.

Feeding a diet containing 10%T. bellirica kernel protein as a raw diet as well as a cooked diet to rats, mice and chicks resulted in low food intake and death in all three species, probably due to heat stable antinutritional factors in the kernel.