Study on the Cytotoxic, Genotoxic and Clastogenic Potential of Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. Oil Pulp In Vitro and In Vivo Experimental Models

Determination of preclinical safety of oil obtained from Pachira aquatica Aublet (Malvaceae) seeds: histopathological, biochemical, hematological, and genetic toxicity studies in rats

Pachira aquatica is a species used for medicinal and food purposes and has numerous phytochemicals that may have systemic toxic effects and damage to genetic material. This study aimed to evaluate acute and short-term oral toxicity, as well as genotoxic and clastogenic effects of oil extracted from P. aquatica (PASO) seeds in rats and Drosophila melanogaster. The results obtained with biochemical and hematological analyses did not show significant changes in any evaluated parameters when compared with reference values for the species used in the study. Data from the histopathological analysis corroborated results found in this study. These findings indicate low acute and short-term toxicity following oral PASO exposure in rats under the experimental conditions tested. Tests performed in rats showed that PASO did not present significant genotoxic or clastogenic effects on the cells analyzed with the three doses tested. Treatment with PASO in the offspring of HB crossing, which showed high cytochrome P450 levels, did not exhibit genotoxic activity, as demonstrated by the SMART test. These results suggest that products from the hepatic oil metabolism did not show genotoxicity under the conditions tested. Together, the results indicate that, under the experimental conditions tested, PASO is safe for repeated intake. As PASO exhibited low potential to cause harmful effects on living organisms, our study encourages further research aimed at assessing its pharmacological activity, since it is a widely consumed plant.

Addition of Pachira aquatica oil and Platonia insignis almond in cookies: Physicochemical and sensorial aspects

This article investigated the use of Pachira aquatica (PA) fat and Platonia insignis (PI) nuts as ingredients in the preparation of cookies. Seven formulations containing PA fat and/or PI nuts were studied by changing the formulation proposed by AACC, and samples were evaluated considering physical-chemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics. Formulations F1, F4, and F5 showed higher mass loss and lower expansion factor after cooking. Formulations F4, F6, and F7 presented a greater increase in diameter. In turn, formulations F5, F6, and F7 presented greater thickness. The content of fatty acids varied according to the composition of each biscuit, and formulations 2 and 3 presented the best lipid profile (oleic acid ~32%). In addition, it was observed that the addition of PI almond increased the fiber content (~7.15%). The sensory evaluation showed that formulation F5 obtained a score of 5, proving that the partial replacement of hydrogenated vegetable fat with PA fat and grated coconut with PI almond favored the panelists' purchasing decision. The results indicate that unconventional sources of lipids and nuts can be used without loss of quality in biscuits.

Chemical Constituents and Antileishmanial and Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oils from Scheelea phalerata

Scheelea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng (Arecaceae) is a palm tree found in the Brazilian cerrado. There are no topics related to volatile oils from S. phalerata leaves in the literature. This work determines its chemical composition and evaluates the biological activity under two different seasonal conditions (dry and rainy seasons). The dry essential oil yield was 0.034 ± 0.001% and the rainy essential oil yield was 0.011 ± 0.003%. Both essential oils presented different qualitative and quantitative compositions (99.4 and 98.5%). The main constituents of the dry essential oil were phytol (36.7%), nonadecane (9.7%), linolenic acid (9.1%), (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol (4.2%), and squalene (4.0%). The main constituents of the rainy essential oil were phytol (26.1%), palmitic acid (18.7%), hexan-1-ol (15.6%), (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol (9.7%), and oleic acid (4.0%). The antileishmanial activity against promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis was observed only for the rainy season essential oil (IC₅₀ value of 165.05 ± 33.26 μg mL^-1). A molecular docking study showed that alcohols exert a paramount efficacy and that the action of some essential oil compounds may be similar to that of amphotericin B. Still, only the essential oil from the dry season showed moderate antibacterial activity against S. sanguinis (MICs 200-400 μg mL^-1). The cytotoxicity against Vero cells was identical (>512) for both essential oils. The novel data here for both chemical characterization and biological activity, in particular, evidence that the action of these compounds is similar to that of amphotericin B, provide valuable information to the drug-discovery field.

The Chemical Composition and Metabolic Effects of Attalea phalerata Nut Oil in Hyperlipidemic Rats Induced by a High-Fructose Diet

The fatty acids found in nuts are important regulators of the metabolism. These acids are frequently associated with a reduction of serum cholesterol and body fat and a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In this context, the aim of this study was to identify and quantify the nut oil fatty acids from Attalea phalerata and investigate their metabolic effects in rats with hyperlipidemia induced by a diet rich in fructose. Oleic and lauric acids were the major compounds found in the A. phalerata nut oil (APNO). Hyperlipidemic rats treated with APNO showed a reduction in the total serum cholesterol similar to those treated with simvastatin, an increased body temperature by 1 °C, and a reduction in the body weight gain and mesenteric depot of white adipose tissue compared to the hyperlipidemic controls rats. There was an increase in the relative liver weight of rats treated with APNO, without, however, any change in the serum markers of hepatic toxicity. In addition, there was an increase in the moisture and lipid content of the feces of the rats treated with APNO compared to the controls. Together, these results suggest that APNO has potential use in health foods and nutritional supplements to control hypercholesterolemia and obesity.

Anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and cytoprotective potential of the Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. pulp oil

The anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and cytoprotective activity of the Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng pulp oil was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo methods. As for the chemical profile, the antioxidant activity was performed by spectrophotometry, and the profile of carotenoids and amino acids by chromatography. Our data demonstrated that A. phalerata oil has high carotenoid content, antioxidant activity and the presence of 5 essential amino acids. In the in vitro models of inflammation, the oil demonstrated the capacity to inhibit COX1 and COX2 enzymes, the production of nitric oxide and also induces macrophages to spreading. In the in vivo models of inflammation, the oil inhibited edema and leukocyte migration in the Wistar rats. In the in vitro model of antiproliferative and cytoprotective activity, the oil was shown inactive against the kidney carcinoma and prostate carcinoma lineage cells and with cytoprotective capacity in murine fibroblast cells, inhibiting the cytotoxic action of doxorubicin. Therefore, it is concluded that A. phalerata pulp oil has anti-inflammatory effects with nutraceutical properties potential due to the rich composition. Moreover, the oil also has cytoprotective activity probably because of its ability to inhibit the action of free radicals.