Development, characterisation, stability study and antileukemic evaluation of nanoemulsions containing Astrocaryum aculeatum extract

Abstract

The objective of this work was to produce and characterise nanoemulsions containing tucumã extract and to evaluate the performance of the nanostructure and the free compound regarding antitumor activity, cytotoxicity, and oxidative metabolism in NB4/APL cells. The nanoemulsions showed adequate physicochemical characteristics (average size approx. 200 nm, polydispersity index less than 0.3, negative zeta potential and acid pH) maintained stable up to 90 days of storage in refrigeration condition. The nanoformulations did not present protein corona formation. Blank nanoemulsion treatments showed moderate toxicity. Furthermore, the nanoemulsion loaded with extract showed better antileukemic results than the free extract. However, nanoemulsions can be promising carriers of natural compounds, emphasising their biological properties and constituting alternatives in treating diseases.

Keywords:

• Antioxidant effect
• human acute promyelocytic leukaemia
• line cell NB4
• nanotoxicology
• natural products
• tucumã

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior” (CAPES), Franciscan University, Federal University of Santa Maria and Federal University of Pampa (Bagé).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was performed with financial support from research agency “Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS)” – notice 01/2017 – ARD (17/2551-0000805-7).