Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Beccari: composição química, atividades biológicas e toxicidade aguda in vitro do óleo fixo

Abstract

Brazil has a wide natural biodiversity, which represents an important source of bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical, personal care, perfumery and cosmetics industries, as well as researchers for the discovery of new inputs and innovative uses. Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Beccari is one of the main native palm trees in the Brazilian biomes and has great cultural, socioeconomic and ecological importance. It is also a valuable source of fixed oil rich-seeds that can be used technologically. This chemical composition has active compounds useful for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, ornamental and forage sectors. The aim of this study was to characterize the chemical profile of fatty acids by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the antioxidant (DPPH), acetylcholinesterase inhibition (Ellman's colorimetric assay) and antifungal activities [(Candida albicans ATCC 10231; Candida glabrata (Taniwaki, M.H.) CCT 0728; Candida krusei (FTI) CCT 1517; and Candida guilliermondii (CCT) 1890], as well as the in vitro acute toxicity (Artemia salina, Daphnia magna and cytotoxicity in murine fibroblasts – L929) of the fixed oil extracted from seeds of Syagrus coronata acquired from a national cooperative. GC-MS analysis revealed lauric acid as the major compound (44.61%). The antioxidant action was not dose-dependent and at the highest concentration tested (250 µg mL-1 ), the inhibition was 12.4%. Licuri oil promoted acetylcholinesterase inhibition of 29.4% and IC50 = 3.5 ± 0.2 mg mL-1 and it exhibited a fungicidal effect for three of the four species analyzed (minimum fungicidal concentration = 1,250 µg mL-1 for C. albicans and C. glabrata and 2,500 µg mL-1 for C. krusei). The fixed oil did not prove to be toxic to the model organisms (lethal dose 50% =1,082.12 ± 1.36 µg mL-1 and 101.32 mg mL-1 for Artemia salina and Daphnia magna, respectively) nor did it change the viability of the murine fibroblasts (L929) under analytical conditions. The data reveal the safety and effectiveness of this oil and demonstrate the possibility of greater and better sustainable use of this plant species.