Analysis of the physicochemical and health-promoting properties of milk thistle seeds oil

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn) is the Asteraceae family`s extensively distributed herbaceous plant. Its seeds are famous for their medicinal and industrial potential due to their lipid fraction, rich in valuable fatty acids, and bioactive compounds, including silymarin and polyphenolics.

The study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant properties of commercial milk thistle seed oil. The fatty acid profile, triacylglycerol distribution, thermal property, and antioxidant activity were analyzed.

Research on the physicochemical properties of Polish cold-pressed oil from milk thistle seeds has shown that this oil is a valuable source of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly linoleic (49.83 ± 0.02%) and oleic (27.36 ± 0.11%). Beneficial nutritional and health values characterize it, but due to the high value acid number (4.43 ± 0.14 mg KOH/g) and low polyphenol content (0.559 ± 0.004 mg GAE/g), it is unstable, quickly turns rancid, and loses its sensory properties.