Safety profile, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of a nanostructured lipid carrier containing oil and butter from Astrocaryum vulgare: in vitro studies

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Tucumã (Astrocaryum vulgare)is a fruit native to the Amazon region. Extracts from the peel and pulp are thought of as promising treatments for bacterial infections. The primary constituents of Tucumã oil and butter possess unsaturated carbon chains that are susceptible to oxidation by light or heat. The oils have high volatility and low aqueous solubility that limits their use without a vehicle. Nanotechnology refers to techniques to solve these problems. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), for example, protect fixed oils degradation by heat or light, as well as from oxidation and evaporation, ensuring greater stability and function, thereby prolonging the useful life of the final product. Study objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the hemolytic, cytotoxic, antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of an NLC containing Tucumã butter and oil soasto improve the solubility and photosensitivity of the compounds, generating better pharmacological efficacy. Materials and methods: The NLC was assessed for stability for 60 days. The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles in peripheral blood mononucleated cells was determined in culture using assays for cell viability, DNA damage, oxidative metabolism and damage to human erythrocytes. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the broth microdilution technique and antibiofilm activity according to standardized protocols. Results: The Tucumã NLC remained stable throughout the evaluated period, with pH between 5.22–5.35, monodisperse distribution (PDI<0.3) and average particle size of 170.7 ± 3nm. Cytotoxicity studies revealed that the NLC is safe and modulates inflammatory processes, demonstrated by increased cell viability and nitric oxide levels. There was low hemolytic activity of the NLC against human erythrocytes almost concentrations tested. Conclusion: Taken together, the data suggest that NLC containing Tucumã oil and butter showed antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against organisms that cause morbidity and mortality in humans. They may be alternative solutions to public health problems related to bacterial infections.

Bacterial nanocellulose and long-chain fatty acids interaction

“…Naturally-derived antimicrobial agents include vegetal and essential oils, antimicrobial peptides and fatty acids (Aslanli, Lyagin, Stepanov, Presnov, & Efremenko, 2020;Casillas-Vargas et al, 2021;Lalouckova et al, 2021;Pereira dos Santos et al, 2019;Sekar, Paul, Srinivasan, & Rajasekaran, 2021). In this respect, tucumã (Astrocaryum vulgare), an Amazon fruit from which an oil or a butter can be extracted, and its derivatives have been investigated for biomedical applications (Baldissera et al, 2017;Bressa et al, 2021;Cordenonsi et al, 2020;Fernandes, 2015;Rossato et al, 2020Rossato et al, , 2021. The high fatty acids content of tucumã is the main feature that can provide either antimicrobial or antibiofilm activity to its derivatives (Casillas-Vargas et al, 2021).…”

“…Tucumã oil and tucumã butter have already been evaluated in the literature and presented good biocompatibility, an ability to modulate the inflammatory process and a 60-day storage stability, as well as antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against pathogenic bacteria (Rossato et al, 2021). In addition, the combination of tucumã oil and butter together resulted in an improved healing activity of HFF-1 cells (human fibroblasts) using scratch in vitro tests (Rossato et al, 2020).…”