Acrocomia aculeata oil-loaded nanoemulsion: development, anti-inflammatory properties, and cytotoxicity evaluation

Abstract

The oil from the pulp of the bocaiúva fruit may have several medical applications. However, little is known about its pharmacological activity. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of a nanoemulsion loaded with the oil extracted from the pulp of the fruit of Acrocomia aculeata . Griffin’s method determined the hydrophilic–lipophilic equilibrium ratio of the nanoemulsion. It was shown to have an adequate droplet size (173.60 nm) with excellent homogeneity (polydispersity index 0.200). The anti-inflammatory activity of the nanoemulsion was evaluated by the carrageenan-induced paw edema method. Finally, the non-hemolytic and cytotoxic activity of the nanoformulation was determined to assess its safety. The nanoemulsion loaded with Acrocomia aculeata fruit pulp oil was shown to have parameters suitable for its characterization, impressive anti-inflammatory activity, and a safe profile.