Development and evaluation of the anti-inflammatory potential of the new herbal enriched with the extract of Caryocar brasiliense Camb. encapsulated in chitosan

Abstract

Phytotherapy is a science field that has increased in prominence over the last few years. This happened because not only it presents a wide range of new compounds that can be used as a medicine, but also because of its high enhancement when it comes to vegetal biodiversity. These useful qualities of phytotherapy are greatly appreciated when it comes to analyzing the pequi fruit (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.). The pequi possess a concentration of phenolic compounds that are superior to those found in the pulp of the majority of fruits consumed in Brasil. Therefore, due to the multiple therapeutic applications, these phenolic compounds justify the use in medicine development on its own. Conversely, being a Cerrado native species, a sorely devastated biome in addition to the continuous threats from both agricultural and livestock farming, the pequi die-off is currently expected. Thus, in the face of this sad reality, and in consideration of the anti-inflammatory potential in the phenolic compounds depicted in this study, this project's purpose is to elaborate a phytotherapeutic derived from the resulting residue of the mechanic extraction of pequi's pulp, a material that is usually discarded. To this end, in order to make the proposed phytotherapy more attractive to the pharmaceutical and consumer markets, the nanotechnology technique will be set in this project. This technique has proven itself an ally in the development of photoproducts, since it adds benefits to it, such as the improvement of quality as well as stability of the formulation. Then, the anti-inflammatory activity of the encapsulated pequi residue extract will be analyzed. Finally, the gel enriched with the extract will be developed and analyzes will be performed to prove the safety and quality of the product. This project is a partnership between researchers from UNESP (Assis' campus), who pursue scientific knowledge, the economical improvement and valorization of the plants from the Cerrado and, consequently, the preservation of this important biome.