MICROEMULSION OF BRAZIL NUT OIL AS A NATURAL PRODUCT TO IMPROVE SUPEROXIDE RELEASE IN HUMAN PHAGOCYTES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop and characterize a Brazil nut oil microemulsion system and determine the effect of this microemulsion on the superoxide release in human phagocytes. The microemulsion was formulated using distilled water, Brazil nut as the oily phase, Sorbitan monooleate, Polysorbate 80, and butan-1-ol. Hydrophile-lipophile balance of Brazil nut oil was determined, pseudoternary diagrams were prepared, and microemulsion diagram regions were preselected. Preliminary and accelerated stability tests, rheological characterization and dynamic light scattering were performed. The immunomodulatory effect of the microemulsion on the interactions with leukocytes was determined by superoxide release. The developed formulations were classified as oil-in-water, showed a Newtonian profile, with linear viscosity and droplet sizes of 46.9; 66.5 and 34.3 nm. When we assessed the interaction of the microemulsion of Brazil nut oil with phagocytes, we observed an increase in superoxide release. Our findings indicate that the developed formulation improved the immunomodulatory activity of the Brazil nut oil, proving to be a natural product option for future applications, in particular for infectious diseases.

Keywords

• vegetable oil
• Brazil nut
• microemulsion
• phagocytes
• delivery systems