Development of nanocarriers containing pau-d'arco phytoactives with potential antineoplastic activity

• Grant number: 24/13336-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Wanderley Pereira Oliveira
• Grantee: Gabriela Alberto Gil
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Investigating plant species used in traditional medicine is fundamental for providing accessible, safe, and effective therapies, especially in contexts where a significant portion of the global population has limited access to conventional medications. Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos, commonly known as pau-d'arco, is a plant native to Brazilian flora with a history of use in traditional medicine to prevent and treat cancer. Despite numerous studies highlighting its antineoplastic potential, few have offered information to support the development of a standardized product with proven therapeutic activity. In this context, the project's objective is to standardize and optimize the extraction of phytoactives from the bark of pau-d'arco and incorporate them into nanocarriers for use in cancer therapies. The project involves optimizing the extraction process by evaluating analytical parameters and in vitro biological activity, allowing for the standardization of plant materials from different sources. Subsequently, the promising phytoactives will be encapsulated and dried to improve their physical, chemical, and biological properties. This project is based on literature data and preliminary results obtained during the candidate's scientific initiation, which demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity of the standardized pau-d'arco bark extract in various tumor cell lines, particularly liver and lung carcinoma cells, without affecting the viability of non-tumor cells. Thus, it is expected that the project will address existing limitations in research on the antineoplastic potential of pau-d'arco, enabling the effective and safe exploitation of its therapeutic properties. Another contribution of this proposal is generating knowledge about developing plant-based active pharmaceutical ingredients from Brazilian biodiversity, using both traditional knowledge and scientific research to benefit the population.