Evaluation of the in vivo safety of tucumã oil nanocapsules in an experimental model of silver catfish Rhamdia quelen

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of tucumã oil nanocapsules from the Amazon region in silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen. Fish were exposed to water treated with different concentrations of tucumã nanocapsules, white, solubilized oil and surfactant vehicles. After three days of exposure, fish were euthanized and liver, gills and brain removed for analysis of the dichlorofluorescein, nitric oxide and PicoGreen® assays. Plasma was collected for assay of hepatic transaminases. The nanocapsules had a diameter of 221 ± 1.27 nm, confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The oil nanocapsules were not toxic to this species of fish, but white nanocapsules and surfactant increased the levels of reactive oxygen species. Thus, nanocapsules are promising for the transport of tucumã oil. In view of the anti-inflammatory properties of this oil, it is possible to envisage its application in skin diseases for example, since they present essentially inflammatory conditions.

Highlights

• The most abundant carotenoid in tucumã oil was all-trans-beta-carotene.

• Nanocapsules are good carriers for tucumã oil.

• Tucumã oil nanocapsules does nothas toxicity effect in catfish.

Keywords:

• Nanotoxicology
• fish
• tucumã oil
• natural products

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

We are grateful for the financial support from UFSM, UFN, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS, ARD 17/2551-0000805-7) and AmazonOil^® Industry.