Preliminary analysis of the anti-inflammatory and toxicological profile of Oenocarpus bacaba aiming the future development of a new phytotherapic.

• Grant number: 22/08435-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2022
• End date: October 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Ethnopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Lucinéia dos Santos
• Grantee: Carlos Guilherme Meschick
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, the Amazon rainforest, considered a world heritage site, has its biodiversity threatened due to the rampant deforestation that this region suffers. In the light of this, the sustainable use of the biodiversity that Amazon provides has proved to be an essential method for its preservation. Oenocarpus bacaba, popularly known as bacaba, a native palm tree of the Amazon rainforest, is widely used in folk medicine in several ways in the treatment of various diseases. In addition, it is known that synthetic drugs used to treat inflammatory diseases, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, have several side effects and, as the prescription is not required to purchase, their use is inordinate. Therefore, along with the preservation of the Amazon and the search for new treatments for inflammatory diseases, the present work aims to study the anti-inflammatory activity of an extract of the basic hydrolysis of bacaba juice to, in the future, develop a phytoproduct. The characterization of flavonoids will be investigated with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to identify these compounds in the extract. The determination of the anti-inflammatory activity in vitro will be assessed by using the phagocytosis assay and the prevention of hypotonicity induced human red blood cells membrane lysis. The acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activity in vivo will be evaluated by the carrageenan-induced paw edema method. Finally, in vitro toxicity, by the MTT test, and in vivo toxicity will be measured.