Elton Brito Ribeiro

Bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart) is an Amazonian palm tree that bears fruits with an intensely purple colored peel, indicating the presence of anthocyanins, a natural source of antioxidants. However, these peels are a by-product of bacaba processing, being discarded while their bioactive compounds could be used by the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. In this sense, recently, there has been a growth in a consumer audience interested in cosmetic products that, in addition to quality, have components of natural origin and promote sustainability. Therefore, the objective was to develop an emulsified base formulation, oil-in-water type, incorporate the bacaba peel extract into it, and evaluate its antioxidant activity. Three topical formulations containing munguba butter as the internal phase (in percentages of 2, 3, and 5%) were developed, which were then subjected to preliminary and accelerated stability analyses. The bacaba peel extract was incorporated into the formulation with the highest stability (the one containing 2% of munguba butter), which had an anthocyanin content equal to 9.75 mgL-1 of cyanidin-3-glucoside, indicating antioxidant potential. The stability of the emulsion was maintained even after incorporation of the extract into the base formulation. The antioxidant activity of the bacaba peel extract and the extract-containing formulation was analyzed using the DPPH (2,2-DIPHENYL-1-PICRYLHYDRAZYL) radical scavenging method, obtaining EC50 values of 18.54 and 89.66 µgmL-1, and the ABTS (2,2´ -azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) method, with results equal to 85.56 mM Troloxg-1 and 55.52 mM Troloxg-1, demonstrating good antioxidant activity in both assays. Therefore, a stable formulation with promising antioxidant activity was obtained, developed by the incorporation of bioactive compounds from the bacaba peel extract, presenting potential for use in the prevention and reduction of oxidative damage, in addition to reducing environmental impacts by using a part of the bacaba fruit that is normally discarded.

Bacaba produces fruit that are rich in bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and anthocyanins, which present antioxidant action. The processing of these fruits generates residues, like the peel, which can be used in the development of new products. Therefore, the aim was to develop a new product incorporating the bacaba peel extract in a nanoemulsified system containing munguba butter and to evaluate the stability, potential phagocytic and microbicidal activities, and cell viability. The extract was obtained by the ultrasound assisted method and was incorporated into the nanoemulsified system containing munguba butter. The formulation was evaluated for its hydrodynamic particle diameter, polydispersity index, Zeta potential, stability assays, biological assays of cell viability and phagocytosis, and microbicidal activities. The developed nanoemulsion showed to be unstable at high temperatures (45 ± 2 °C) and when exposed to light radiation and remained stable at room temperature and refrigeration for 90 days. In the biological assays, the formulation showed biocompatibility, with cell viability above 90%, on average, in addition to high phagocytic (95%) and microbicidal activities (90%), due to the presence of the extract, suggesting greater immune efficiency. Thus, the potential of using residues rich in bioactive compounds for the development of sustainable nanotechnological products, with benefits for the health of the population, is highlighted.

Munguba butter has bioactive compounds such as vitamin E and phytosterols, which has valued its application in the development of new products, with advantages in its use in emulsified formulations. Therefore, the objective was to develop and evaluate the stability of a nanoemulsion containing munguba butter as the oily phase. Munguba butter was extracted by the ultrasound assisted method and its HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) was determined. Next, formulations varying the concentration of butter from 1-40% were developed and classified into liquid or solid emulsion and phase separation. Liquid emulsions were evaluated for hydrodynamic particle diameter, polydispersity index (PDI), Zeta potential (ζ), rheological characterization, and stability assays. The butter had an HLB of 6.98. The NE 1.0% formulation was selected and demonstrated to be unstable at high temperatures (45 ± 2 °C) and remained stable at room temperature, refrigeration and light radiation for 90 days. Munguba butter, because it has high amounts of saturated fatty acids, hinders its application in the development of new products. However, the success in the development of the NE 1.0% formulation is noteworthy, remaining stable when exposed to refrigeration, room temperature and light radiation.

Extracts of species from the Cordia genus have been reported with potential biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiparasitic. The aim of this study was to develop microemulsions containing ethanolic extracts of C. glabrata leaves and to evaluate their stability and biological activities. The five developed microemulsions presented physicochemical stability and presented Newtonian behavior when submitted to rheological analysis. The diameter values of the globules ranged between 225.74 and 273.33 nm and the zeta potential of the formulations remained between -22.40 and -25.08. All phenolic acids of the extract, quantified by HPLC, showed consistency after being microemulsified. The EC₅₀ values for the antioxidant activity by the DPPH scavenging method ranged between 38.13 and 45.54 µgmL^-1, and between 34.46 and 39.60 mM for the ABTS⁺ scavenging method. The virucidal activity presented a CV₅₀ -1 and a selectivity index greater than 20. The photoprotection results ranged between 2.14 to 2.84. The study revealed stable microemulsions and potentiation of the antioxidant effect in the microemulsified extracts.

The bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart.) peel corresponds to 15% of the whole fruit and is rich in antioxidants with potential application in product development. In nanotechnology, emulsified formulations such as nanoemulsions stand out for providing modified release and improving the bioavailability of conveyed substances. The aim of this work was to develop nanoemulsified systems from baru oil containing hydroalcoholic extract from the bacaba peel, evaluate their stability and antioxidant potential. After the HLB (Hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) determination of the baru oil, thirty-two formulations were developed, varying the proportions of surfactants, aqueous phase, and baru oil. Of those 32, 16 formed emulsified systems, and the ones with a higher amount of oil (20%) were incorporated with the BPE. The systems were submitted to stability studies to verify their viability. After that, several tests were performed, such as rheological characteristics, hydrodynamic diameter of the droplets, polydispersion index, zeta potential, and antioxidant potential by DPPH and ABTS⁺ radical scavenging methods. After the studies, two samples remained stable and presented a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic profile with thixotropy, hydrodynamic diameter of less than 200 nm, monodispersity, and negative zeta potential. The BPE showed antioxidant potential, with superior activity when incorporated into the nanoemulsified system. A strong negative correlation was found between the two antioxidant methods, where both demonstrated the same profile of potential antioxidant activity for the extract and formulations. The studied formulation showed that the use of BPE is a viable alternative for the development of new products based on sustainable technologies.

The use of synthetic surfactants reflects the high demand in the hygiene and cleaning sector for products with low-cost and good-effectiveness. These ingredients are the main components of intimate soap formulations. Sapindus saponaria L. is a plant rich in saponins, with the potential to be used as a natural surfactant due to its amphiphilic character and its foam-forming properties. Therefore, this study aimed to develop intimate soap formulations using S. saponaria extract as a natural surfactant and analyze its stability and surfactant characteristics. Preliminary and accelerated stability parameters, rheological characteristics, surface tension, foaming power, foam stability and emulsification potential were evaluated. The formulations were stable at a pH suitable for the intimate region (4.0 to 4.5), the presence of S. saponaria extract provided greater reduction of surface tension, better foaming and foam stability and greater emulsification power, desirable characteristics for an intimate liquid soap. These results demonstrate that the incorporation of S. saponaria extract into liquid soap formulations is an excellent option as a natural surfactant to reduce the use of synthetic anionic surfactants such as SLES.

Species of the genus Cordia have shown biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antiviral, and antifungal activities. The species Cordia glabrata (MART) A.DC. Has no information concerning its phytochemical profile and possible biological activities. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate this profile in ethanolic extracts of young, adult and senescent leaves, as well as their antioxidant, photoprotective, antimicrobial, and virucidal potentials. Phytochemical analysis was performed by TLC (thin-layer chromatography) and showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, and terpenes. The evaluation by UPLC-MS/MS (Ultra performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometer) evidenced the presence of caffeic (3.89 mgL-1), p-cumaric (6.13 mgL-1), and ferulic (0.58 mgL-1) acids, whilst, in GC/MS (Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) analysis there was a greater amount of palmitic (51.17%), stearic (20.34%), linoleic (9.62%), and miristic (8.16%) fatty acids. The DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS+ (2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) radicals were used to verify the potential antioxidant activity, observing a better activity for the leaf extract in the adult phenological stage: 54.63 ± 1.06 µgmL-1 (DPPH) and 44.21 ± 1.69 mM (ABTS). The potential photoprotective activity of the extracts was determined by spectrophotometry and the in vitro values of SPF (Sun Protection Factor) in young and adult leaves (5.47 and 5.41, respectively) showed values close to the minimum SPF of 6.0 required by ANVISA (Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency). It was not observed an antimicrobial activity for Staphylococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2000 μgmL-1, however the anti-herpetic assay against the Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) showed a potent virucidal activity at the tested concentrations with CV50 value <0.195 μgmL-1 and a Selectivity Index (SI = CC50 / CV50) greater than 448. The results obtained in this study suggest that extracts of leaves of C. glabrata in their adult phenological stage have potential antioxidant, photoprotective and virucidal activity, considering in vitro test results.

This study analyzed the use of the ultrasound-assisted method as an alternative to obtain munguba oil. The extraction provided a 47.70 % yield of an oil with appropriate quality, evaluated by assessing the %FFA as oleic acid, iodine, peroxide, and saponification values, in addition to the refractive index and density. The oil presented thermal stability up to 300 °C, was constituted mainly by palmitic acid (C16:0), and presented a total phenolic content of 55.02 ± 1.872 µgEAG g-1. Results suggest that the ultrasound-assisted method has the potential to obtain vegetable oils without compromising their characteristics and quality, as well as optimize extraction time, solvent volume, and operational costs. Moreover, munguba oil presents itself as a suitable and sustainable alternative as an adjuvant in food products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and biofuels.