@Article{phyton.2026.077597,
AUTHOR = {Ivica Delic, Maja Matosa Kocar, Goran Jukic, Ivan Varnica, Valentina Spanic},
TITLE = {Biological Activities of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> L.) Oil and Its Bioactive Constituents: A Focus on Volatile Fractions and Functional Potential},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {95},
YEAR = {2026},
NUMBER = {3},
PAGES = {--},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v95n3/66774},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {Soybean oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils globally, valued not only for its affordability and functional properties but also for its rich profile of bioactive compounds. This review critically synthesizes current knowledge on the non-volatile bioactive constituents of crude and refined soybean oil, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols, phospholipids, and saponins, as well as volatile bioactives present in soybean essential oil. Emphasis is placed on their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, metabolic, antimicrobial, and dermatological activities, alongside their relevance for functional foods, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and pharmaceutical applications. The review examines how oil refining, storage, thermal processing, genotype, environmental conditions, and post-harvest handling influence the concentration, stability, and bioactivity of these compounds, highlighting the trade-off between shelf-life extension and loss of health-promoting constituents. Although soybean essential oil contains biologically active volatiles with demonstrated antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, their extremely low abundance limits practical applications. Advances in breeding strategies, optimized agronomic practices, and green extraction technologies are discussed as promising approaches to enhance bioactive retention and oil quality. While substantial <i>in vitro</i> and preclinical evidence supports the therapeutic potential of soybean oil components and volatiles, human clinical data remain limited. Future research should focus on well-designed clinical trials, synergistic interactions among bioactives, standardized processing protocols, and long-term health outcomes. Overall, soybean oil emerges as a multifunctional plant-derived ingredient with significant potential for health promotion and sustainable industrial use.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2026.077597}
}