Avaliação da capacidade antioxidante in vitro de extratos obtidos a partir da polpa da Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart

Abstract

Antioxidants are fundamental in protecting against cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species, neutralizing them through the donation of electrons. There is currently growing interest in antioxidants from natural sources due to the potential health benefits they offer. The oil extracted from the pulp of Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. Ex Mart, a palm also known as bocaiúva, is a promising source of antioxidants, containing bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, β-carotene and tocopherols. The extraction of this oil can be carried out using solvents that have affinity with the components present in the pulp, highlighting polar solvents to obtain a higher yield, due to their greater extraction capacity compared to non-polar solvents. Considering the chemical composition of the A. aculeata pulp, this study aimed to determine the antioxidant capacity of the pulp oil using different methodologies. For this, the pulp oil was extracted from samples collected in Cuiabá-MT, using ethanol and hexane as extracting solvents. From the extracts obtained (Ethanolic Extract, Hexane Extract and Hexane Extract of the Residue), Folin-Ciocalteu and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging tests were carried out, and the antioxidant activity in the prevention of intracellular oxidative stress using the probe 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). The ethanolic extract showed the highest yield, and the hexane extracts had a lower yield, but with results close to those obtained by other authors. In the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, high levels of total phenolic compounds were detected in the ethanolic extract. In the DPPH assay, the ethanolic extract showed a greater inhibition capacity compared to the trolox standard, while the other extracts showed a lower inhibition. In the intracellular oxidation assay, none of the extracts demonstrated significant antioxidant activity. It is concluded that the ethanolic extract derived from the pulp of A. aculeata stands out for its notable antioxidant capacity against external free radicals. However, its effectiveness in protecting against intracellular oxidative damage is limited, suggesting its potential as a source of natural antioxidants. On the other hand, the other extracts demonstrated low antioxidant activity, highlighting the need for investigation to understand the factors underlying this discrepancy.