Fatty acid profiling, physicochemical characterisation, and biological activities of Mangifera indica and Entada africana seed oils and their formulated topical creams Sh

Abstract

Many tropical seed oils remain under-characterised despite extensive traditional use, limiting their integration into evidence-based cosmetic formulations. This study evaluated seed oils from Mangifera indica (mango kernel oil, MKO) and Entada africana (ogurobe oil, EAO) through physicochemical analysis, GC–MS fatty acid profiling, and in vitro biological assays. Three cream formulations were prepared: MC (MKO only), EC (EAO only), and MEC (1:1 MKO:EAO blend). GC–MS analysis revealed that MKO was predominantly saturated (total SFA 51.96%), with palmitic acid (C16:0, 39.89%) as the dominant component, while EAO was rich in unsaturated fatty acids (67.26%), dominated by oleic acid (C18:1, 54.60%). Linoleic acid was present in both oils (MKO 10.31%; EAO 12.66%). MKO solidified at ambient temperature, yielded 13% oil, and exhibited low acid value (1.92 mg KOH/g) and peroxide value (0.69 meq/kg), indicating strong oxidative stability. EAO remained liquid, yielded 25%, and showed elevated acid value (35.04 mg KOH/g) and elevated peroxide value (18.00 ± 1.33 meq O₂/kg), exceeding the generally accepted cosmetic-grade threshold, and indicating a need for pre-formulation refining. The cream formulations displayed suitable pH values (5.00–5.39), homogeneous textures, and drop points (53–57 °C) that exceeded the commercial NIVEA reference (42 °C). In DPPH assays, crude oils showed moderate radical scavenging activity (35–57%), while the MEC and EC cream formulations outperformed the commercial reference at all concentrations below 100 µg/mL. Antimicrobial testing revealed that MC exhibited the broadest activity, inhibiting all ten test organisms at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low as 25 µg/mL. The complementary fatty acid profiles of MKO and EAO suggest potential for rational blending strategies; this study provides preliminary physicochemical and biological evidence supporting their further evaluation for natural cosmetic applications.