Effect of the application of an enzymatic pretreatment on bioactive compounds of Caryocar brasiliense Camb pulp oil

Pequi Oil (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) Attenuates the Adverse Effects of Cyclical Heat Stress and Modulates the Oxidative Stress-Related Genes in Broiler Chickens

The present study was conducted to determine the possible antioxidant protection of pequi oil (PO) against cyclic heat stress in broiler chickens and to highlight the application of PO as a promising additive in broiler feed. A total of 400 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to 2 × 5 factorially arranged treatments: two temperature-controlled rooms (thermoneutral-TN or heat stress-HS for 8 h/day) and five dietary PO levels (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 g/kg diet) for 42 days. Each treatment consisted of eight replicates of five birds. The results showed that HS increased glucose (p = 0.006), triglycerides (p < 0.001), and HDL (p = 0.042) at 21 days and reduced (p = 0.005) serum total cholesterol at 42 days. The results also showed that HS increased the contents of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). In contrast, PO linearly decreased AST (p = 0.048) and ALT (p = 0.020) at 21 and 42 days, respectively. The heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in the birds under HS was higher than in those in the TN environment (p = 0.046). Heat stress decreased (p = 0.032) the relative weight of their livers at 21 days. The superoxide dismutase activity increased (p = 0.010) in the HS treatments in comparison to the TN treatments, while the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver decreased (p < 0.001) at 42 days; however, the activity of catalase had no significant effects. Meanwhile, increasing the dietary PO levels linearly decreased plasma malondialdehyde (p < 0.001) in the birds in the HS environment. In addition, PO reduced (p = 0.027) the expression of Hsp 70 in the liver by 92% when compared to the TN treatment without PO, mainly at the 6.0 g/kg diet level. The expression of Nrf2 was upregulated by 37% (p = 0.049) in response to PO with the 6.0 g/kg diet compared to the HS treatment without PO. In conclusion, PO supplementation alleviated the adverse effects of HS on broilers due to its antioxidant action and modulation of the genes related to oxidative stress, providing insights into its application as a potential feed additive in broiler production.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect and Toxicological Profile of Pulp Residue from the Caryocar Brasiliense, a Sustainable Raw Material

Caryocar brasiliense Cambess is a plant species typical of the Cerrado, a Brazilian biome. The fruit of this species is popularly known as pequi, and its oil is used in traditional medicine. However, an important factor hindering the use of pequi oil is its low yield when extracted from the pulp of this fruit. Therefore, in this study, with aim of developing a new herbal medicine, we an-alyzed the toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of an extract of pequi pulp residue (EPPR), fol-lowing the mechanical extraction of the oil from its pulp. For this purpose, EPPR was prepared and encapsulated in chitosan. The nanoparticles were analyzed, and the cytotoxicity of the encapsu-lated EPPR was evaluated in vitro. After confirming the cytotoxicity of the encapsulated EPPR, the following evaluations were performed with non-encapsulated EPPR: in vitro anti-inflammatory activity, quantification of cytokines, and acute toxicity in vivo. Once the anti-inflammatory activity and absence of toxicity of EPPR were verified, a gel formulation of EPPR was developed for topical use and analyzed for its in vivo anti-inflammatory potential, ocular toxicity, and previous stability assessment. EPPR and the gel containing EPPR showed effective anti-inflammatory activity and lack of toxicity. The formulation was stable. Thus, a new herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory activity can be developed from discarded pequi residue.

Optimization Studies and Compositional Oil Analysis of Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Cambess) Almonds by Supercritical CO2 Extraction

Caryocar brasiliense Cambess (pequi) is the fruit of the pequizeiro tree found in the Brazilian Cerrado (savanna). Supercritical fluids have been used to effectively extract bioactive chemicals. In light of the paucity of research on the supercritical extraction of pequi, in this study, experimental tests were conducted on the extraction of pequi almond oil using supercritical CO_2; the optimal extraction conditions were determined, and the fatty acids and active compounds in the oil were characterized. The experiments were conducted using the Box-Behnken experimental design of a three-variable system: pressure (15, 20, and 25 MPa), temperature (303.15, 318.15, and 333.15 K), and flow rate (2, 3, and 5 g.min^-1). The optimal extraction conditions were 318.15 K, 25 MPa, and 5.0 g.min^-1, which yielded 27.6 wt% of oil. The experimental kinetic curves were described using a second-order quadratic model (based on the Sovová model), which demonstrated a satisfactory correspondence with the kinetic curves. Significant amounts of squalene, stigmasterol, oleic fatty acids, and palmitic fatty acids were detected in pequi almond oil.

Oleochemistry potential from Brazil northeastern exotic plants

Caatinga is a Brazilian semi-arid ecosystem that stands out for presenting unique environmental characteristics with a dry, spiny and deciduous shrub/forest vegetation with several species that can be renewable oil sources with potential applicability in oleochemical and nutrition. Caatinga oilseeds have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and sterols, and this composition is related to its nutritional potential. The present review summarizes the knowledge on the oil contents and fatty acid profiles of seeds from six representatives caatinga species. It was observed that plants species like Caju (Anacardium occidentale L.), Favela (Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl), Licuri (Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Becc.), Pinhão-bravo (Jatropha mollissima Pohl Baill), Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb) and Oiticica (Licania rígida Benth) contains approximately 33.1, 33.5, 49.2, 18.3, 70.16 and 57.0% w/w of oil, respectively, on a dry weight basis. Their fatty acid profiles are mostly saturated for Licuri oil, with a high content of lauric acid (up to 40%) and unsaturated for Favela, Pinhão-bravo, Cashew nut, Pequi and Oiticica oils. Oiticica oil shows a high concentration of unusual conjugated polyunsaturated fatty acids, like α-Eleostearic and Licanic acid with 16.90 and 43.20% w/w, respectively.