Investigation on the Chemical Composition of Phenolic, Fatty Acid Profiles (GC-FID) and Biological Activities from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam de wit) Seed Oil and Leaves Extracts: Effect of Geographical Location and Maturation Stage

Leucaena leucocephala (Lam de wit) is a valuable source of bioactive metabolites with high preventive and therapeutic effectiveness. Here, and taking into account the effect of geographical location and maturation stage, we aimed to investigate the chemical composition of phenolic, fatty acid profiles (GC-FID) and biological activities from L. leucocephala (Lam de wit) seed oil and leave extracts. The results indicated that L. leucocephala (Lam de wit) ethanolic leaves extracts growing in Ariana have the highest levels in phenolic and flavonoid contents and showed remarkable antioxidant activities. Furthermore, L. leucocephala (Lam de wit) oils extracted from seeds growing in two locations at different maturation stage were analyzed using GC-FID to determine fatty acids profiles and significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed between growing area and maturation stage. In addition, both oils and ethanolic extract of L. leucocephala (Lam de wit) were able to limit gram positive and gram negative bacteria, Candida species as well as the tested filamentous fungi species, and the examination of results prove that the diameter of zone inhibition was related to the tested microorganisms. The results credibly indicate that L. leucocephala (Lam de wit) leaves and seeds are nutrient-rich and can contribute effectively to the daily nutrient requirements alongside its therapeutic properties.