Natural Variability in Seed Oil Composition of Prinsepia utilis Grown Across Northern India

Prinsepia utilis seed oil is widely used in Indian and Chinese folk medicine for treating inflammation and arthritis. As the biological efficacy of plant extracts depends on their chemical composition, this study evaluated geographical variation in seed oil across 17 locations in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, India. Soxhlet extraction yielded yellow oil (27.61%–43.31%), with the highest yield from Kanasar. GC‐MS and GC‐FID analyses identified linoleic acid (41.25%–64.42%) as the dominant unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), highest in Shilarru, followed by oleic acid (21.99%–37.84%), peaking in Badhau. Palmitic (9.32%–12.98%) and stearic acid (2.83%–7.97%) were most abundant in Sukki and Singhor, respectively. UFAs ranged from 79.05% to 87.17%, showing significant variation influencing nutritional and industrial value. A strong positive correlation ( R 2 = 0.75) between UFA content and altitude highlighted greater industrial potential at higher elevations. Multivariate analyses identified four distinct clusters based on seed acid profiles, enhancing understanding of compositional diversity and applications.