Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (859 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The refined fixed oil obtained from the seed of one or more cultivated varieties of Sesamum indicum. It is used as a solvent and oleaginous vehicle for drugs and has been used internally as a laxative and externally as a skin softener. It is used also in the manufacture of margarine, soap, and cosmetics. (Dorland, 28th ed and Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Oil, Sesame; Oils, Sesame; Sesame Oils.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; Fats, Unsaturated; Plant Oils
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 829 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Sesame Oil” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 185 of them (22.3%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 268 records.
Reviews account for 21 records (2.5%) and meta-analyses for 3. Randomized controlled trials number 58 (7.0%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 268 |
| 2000-2009 | 163 |
| 2010-2019 | 213 |
| 2020 onward | 185 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 21 | 2.5% |
| Meta-analyses | 3 | 0.4% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 58 | 7.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Sesame Oil"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genome sequencing of the high oil crop sesame provides insight into oil biosynthesis | 2014 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 200 | cc by PMID 24576357 · DOI · PMC4053841 |
| Genetic discovery for oil production and quality in sesame | 2015 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 144 | cc by PMID 26477832 · DOI · PMC4634326 |
| Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the sesame oil and sesamin | 2014 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 73 | cc by PMID 24824289 · DOI · PMC4042560 |
| Effects of Screw-Press Temperatures on Oil Yield and Phytoconstituents of Roasted and Unroasted Black and White Sesame Cultivars | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42197193 · DOI · PMC13209457 |
Genome sequencing of the high oil crop sesame provides insight into oil biosynthesis [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundSesame, Sesamum indicum L.
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionsAs an important species from the order Lamiales and a high oil crop, the sesame genome will facilitate future research on the evolution of eudicots, as well as the study of lipid biosynthesis and potential genetic improvement of sesame.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (243 words)
BackgroundSesame, Sesamum indicum L., is considered the queen of oilseeds for its high oil content and quality, and is grown widely in tropical and subtropical areas as an important source of oil and protein. However, the molecular biology of sesame is largely unexplored.ResultsHere, we report a high-quality genome sequence of sesame assembled de novo with a contig N50 of 52.2 kb and a scaffold N50 of 2.1 Mb, containing an estimated 27,148 genes. The results reveal novel, independent whole genome duplication and the absence of the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain in resistance genes. Candidate genes and oil biosynthetic pathways contributing to high oil content were discovered by comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses. These revealed the expansion of type 1 lipid transfer genes by tandem duplication, the contraction of lipid degradation genes, and the differential expression of essential genes in the triacylglycerol biosynthesis pathway, particularly in the early stage of seed development. Resequencing data in 29 sesame accessions from 12 countries suggested that the high genetic diversity of lipid-related genes might be associated with the wide variation in oil content. Additionally, the results shed light on the pivotal stage of seed development, oil accumulation and potential key genes for sesamin production, an important pharmacological constituent of sesame.ConclusionsAs an important species from the order Lamiales and a high oil crop, the sesame genome will facilitate future research on the evolution of eudicots, as well as the study of lipid biosynthesis and potential genetic improvement of sesame.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 24576357 · DOI · PMC4053841
Genetic discovery for oil production and quality in sesame [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Oilseed crops are used to produce vegetable oil.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings may inform breeding and improvement strategies for a broad range of oilseed crops.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (148 words)
Oilseed crops are used to produce vegetable oil. Sesame (Sesamum indicum), an oilseed crop grown worldwide, has high oil content and a small diploid genome, but the genetic basis of oil production and quality is unclear. Here we sequence 705 diverse sesame varieties to construct a haplotype map of the sesame genome and de novo assemble two representative varieties to identify sequence variations. We investigate 56 agronomic traits in four environments and identify 549 associated loci. Examination of the major loci identifies 46 candidate causative genes, including genes related to oil content, fatty acid biosynthesis and yield. Several of the candidate genes for oil content encode enzymes involved in oil metabolism. Two major genes associated with lignification and black pigmentation in the seed coat are also associated with large variation in oil content. These findings may inform breeding and improvement strategies for a broad range of oilseed crops.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26477832 · DOI · PMC4634326
Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the sesame oil and sesamin [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Sesame oil is widely consumed as nutritious food, cooking oil, and in pharmaceuticals and food.
- Closing excerpt
- These results suggest that sesamin is one of the active compounds found in sesame oil and justify the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of this product.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (175 words)
Sesame oil is widely consumed as nutritious food, cooking oil, and in pharmaceuticals and food. In this study, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of the sesame oil and sesamin were investigated. The sesame oil and sesamin reduced the number of abdominal contortions at the doses 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg. The first and second phases of the time paw licking were inhibited by sesame oil and sesamin (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg). After 90 min of treatment, sesame oil and sesamin increased the reaction time on a hot plate (200 or 400 mg/kg). Considering the tail-immersion assay, the sesame oil and sesamin produced significant effect after 60 min at the doses of 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg. After 4 h of application of the carrageenan, the sesame oil and sesamin were effective against the paw edema. The exudate volume and leucocyte migration were also reduced by sesame oil and sesamin. These results suggest that sesamin is one of the active compounds found in sesame oil and justify the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of this product.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 24824289 · DOI · PMC4042560
Effects of Screw-Press Temperatures on Oil Yield and Phytoconstituents of Roasted and Unroasted Black and White Sesame Cultivars [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- In the context of exploring new methods and techniques for the sustainable production of high-quality oil, the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of temperatures during screw-press extraction and roasting (200 °C for 15 min) on the oil yield, phytochemicals, and antioxidant contents of white and black seeds of Sesamum indicum L.
- Closing excerpt
- The results highlight that moderate pressing temperatures optimize oil yield while maintaining the integrity of key bioactive constituents, emphasizing the potential of sustainable mechanical extraction for high-quality sesame oil production.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (293 words)
In the context of exploring new methods and techniques for the sustainable production of high-quality oil, the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of temperatures during screw-press extraction and roasting (200 °C for 15 min) on the oil yield, phytochemicals, and antioxidant contents of white and black seeds of Sesamum indicum L. In this study, the oil of roasted and unroasted white and black sesame seeds was extracted using the screw-pressing technique at various temperature increments between 40 and 200 °C. The total phenolic contents (TPC), antioxidant capacity (FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity) and CUPRAC (Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity)), lignans (sesamin, sesamolin, and sesamol contents), and fatty acids were quantitatively determined by spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results revealed that the values of TPC, antioxidant capacity and sesamol in black seeds or its derived oil were significantly greater than those present in equal quantities of white seeds or its derived oil; however, oil yield, sesamin, and sesamolin were higher in white sesame. When temperatures increased up to 150 °C during seed pressing, this resulted in increased oil yields of unroasted seeds; however at 200 °C, the oil yield dropped slightly. The roasted seeds resulted in slightly less oil yield than unroasted seeds, which could be attributed to seed moisture. Moreover, sesamin, sesamolin, sesamol, and fatty acid compositions of unroasted and roasted seeds did not show considerable changes with increased temperatures during seed pressing. In fact, these phytoconstituents were found to possess robust screw-press thermal stability, while TPC and antioxidant capacity showed considerably negative effect with increasing screw-press temperature. The results highlight that moderate pressing temperatures optimize oil yield while maintaining the integrity of key bioactive constituents, emphasizing the potential of sustainable mechanical extraction for high-quality sesame oil production.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42197193 · DOI · PMC13209457
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Nutraceutical functions of sesame: a review [5]
- Research article The relationship of antioxidant components and antioxidant activity of sesame seed oil [6]
- Research article Sesamol: a powerful functional food ingredient from sesame oil for cardioprotection [7]
- Research article Sesame seed and sesame seed oil contain masked allergens of growing importance [8]
- Research article A systematic review on antioxidant and antiinflammatory activity of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) oil and further confirmation of antiinflammatory activity by chemical profiling and molecular docking [9]
- Research article Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials [10]
References
- Wang L, Yu S, Tong C, Zhao Y, Liu Y, Song C, et al.. Genome sequencing of the high oil crop sesame provides insight into oil biosynthesis. . 2014. PMID 24576357 · DOI · PMC4053841
- Wei X, Liu K, Zhang Y, Feng Q, Wang L, Zhao Y, et al.. Genetic discovery for oil production and quality in sesame. . 2015. PMID 26477832 · DOI · PMC4634326
- Monteiro EM, Chibli LA, Yamamoto CH, Pereira MC, Vilela FM, Rodarte MP, et al.. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the sesame oil and sesamin. . 2014. PMID 24824289 · DOI · PMC4042560
- Thani PR, Welhena CK, Naiker M, Trotter T. Effects of Screw-Press Temperatures on Oil Yield and Phytoconstituents of Roasted and Unroasted Black and White Sesame Cultivars. . 2026. PMID 42197193 · DOI · PMC13209457
- Namiki M. Nutraceutical functions of sesame: a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2007. PMID 17943496 · DOI
- Wan Y, Li H, Fu G, Chen X, Chen F, Xie M. The relationship of antioxidant components and antioxidant activity of sesame seed oil. J Sci Food Agric. 2015. PMID 25472416 · DOI
- Jayaraj P, Narasimhulu CA, Rajagopalan S, Parthasarathy S, Desikan R. Sesamol: a powerful functional food ingredient from sesame oil for cardioprotection. Food Funct. 2020. PMID 32037412 · DOI
- Kanny G, De Hauteclocque C, Moneret-Vautrin DA. Sesame seed and sesame seed oil contain masked allergens of growing importance. Allergy. 1996. PMID 9020427 · DOI
- Afroz M, Zihad SMNK, Uddin SJ, Rouf R, Rahman MS, Islam MT, et al.. A systematic review on antioxidant and antiinflammatory activity of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) oil and further confirmation of antiinflammatory activity by chemical profiling and molecular docking. Phytother Res. 2019. PMID 31373097 · DOI
- Gbinigie O, Onakpoya I, Spencer E, McCall MacBain M, Heneghan C. Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Complement Ther Med. 2016. PMID 27261981 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.