RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cyperus esculentus oil is also known as the new health care oil. This study aimed to analyse the fatty acid profile and content of C. esculentus oil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and to assess the antioxidant activity of C. esculentus oil. These properties were evaluated based on the reducing power, hydroxyl radical and diphenyl picryl hydrazyl radical scavenging, and a combination of in vitro and in vivo antioxidant experiments. RESULTS: Composition analyses showed that C. esculentus oil contained more than 800 g kg(-1) unsaturated fatty acid, of which oleic acid accounted for 691.4 g kg(-1), linoleic acid accounted for 107.0 g kg(-1) and palmitic acid accounted for 158.0 g kg(-1). In vitro results showed that the total antioxidant activity and the scavenging capacity of hydroxyl radicals and diphenyl picryl hydrazyl radicals increased with increasing concentration. The in vitro antioxidant ability increased as the concentration of C. esculentus oil, with 15 mL kg(-1) BW day(-1) being established as the optimal dose. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results of this study clearly indicate that C. esculentus oil has good antioxidant properties.