Seeds of Color: Cholinesterase-Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Pigmented Fruit Seed Oils

Seed oils extracted from vividly pigmented fruits, such as blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), have gained attention for their unique phytochemical profiles and potential health benefits. Seeds may contain bioactive molecules that can act as natural antioxidants and inhibitors of cholinesterase enzymes, which are targets in the management of neurodegenerative disorders (Sławińska et al., 2022; Szabo et al., 2018). Cold-pressed seed oils were assessed for their antioxidant activity using the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) assay and for their inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BchE) using spectrophotometric IC₅₀-based methods. Blackcurrant seed oil exhibited the strongest inhibition of both AchE (IC₅₀: 9.83 µg) and BchE (IC₅₀: 10.64 µg), alongside a moderate TEAC value (7.25 µM TE/g). Cranberry oil showed the highest antioxidant capacity (19.01 µM TE/g), with AchE and BchE IC₅₀ values of 11.35 µg and 13.3 µg, respectively. Tomato seed oil displayed lower enzyme inhibition and antioxidant activity (6.92 µM TE/g). The results highlight the potential of pigmented fruit seed oils as multifunctional food-derived agents for cognitive health support. Their combination of antioxidant and cholinesterase-inhibitory activities supports further research into their role in functional foods and "food as medicine" approaches (Silva et al., 2019; Pedisic et al., 2024).

References

Sławińska, N., et al Nutrients, 2022, 1422.

Szabo, K.; et al. Plant foods for human nutrition, 2018, 73, 268–277.

Silva, P.A., et al. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2019, 70(2), 150-160.

Pedisić, S., et al. Foods, 2024, 14(8), 1354.