Comprehensive profiling of indigenous chironji (Buchanania lanzan Spreng.) accessions for antioxidant, antidiabetic, nutritional properties, and seed oil for pharmaceutical use and livelihood development

Chironji ( Buchanania lanzan Spreng.) is an underutilized nut-bearing tree with amazing nutritional, medicinal, and industrial potential. However, scientific information on the biochemical and functional attributes across diverse germplasm remains limited and largely unexplored. Antioxidant assays revealed significant solvent- and genotype-dependent variation, with ethanol–water and dichloromethane extracts showing higher radical scavenging activity. In vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays demonstrated strong antidiabetic potential, particularly in BL1, highlighting its nutraceutical relevance. Similarly, high protein (36.12–42.09%), crude fat (36.26–39.95%), and carbohydrates (11.33–12.82%), alongside considerable Vit C (4.73–5.67 mg/100 g) and dietary fiber content, were estimated through proximate analysis. Mineral profiling highlighted the rich concentrations of P (506-583 mg/100), Mg (197-275 mg/100), Fe (4.98-8.25 mg/100), Ca (22.0-44.0 mg/100), and Zn (2.93-3.58 mg/100), with significant inter-accession variability. Seed oil analysis further demonstrated that extraction through solvent markedly influenced oil yield (5.10–36.98%), viscosity, saponification value, and free fatty acid content, while accession-wise differences were minimal. Oils were odourless, light to golden yellow, and exhibited favorable physicochemical attributes comparable to commercial edible oils. Overall, these findings firmly establish chironji as a nutrient-rich resource with promising applications in functional foods, herbal formulations, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic applications and agroforestry-based livelihood enhancement.