Industrial Crops & Products 149 (2020) 112330

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Industrial Crops & Products

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Buriti (Mauritia Flexuosa L.) pulp oil as an immunomodulator against T

enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Mariana Bento Cruza, Wellington da Silva Oliveirab, Renata Lázara Araújoa,
Adenilda Cristina Honório Françac, Paula Becker Pertuzattia,c,*
a
Institute of Exact and Earth Sciences, School of Food Engineering, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, 78600-000, Brazil
b
School of Food Engineering, Department of Food Science, University of Campinas, Campinas, 13083-862, Brazil
c
Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, 78600-000, Brazil

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Keywords: Bioactive compounds present in fruit oils have an antioxidant activity, which may be related to an im-
Buriti oil munomodulatory effect, which in turn can result in a microbicidal activity. Hence, the main aim of the current
Bioactive compounds study is to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of buriti oil (Mauritia Flexuosa L.) against enteropathogenic
Antioxidant capacity Escherichia coli (EPEC). Therefore, buriti pulp oil was extracted and characterized for saponification, peroxide
Fatty acid profile
and acidity index, total carotenoid content, fatty acid profile, hydrophilic and lipophilic fraction antioxidant
Carotenoids
capacity, cell viability, and phagocytosis of EPEC by mononuclear (MN) cells. The heat extraction process did not
Cell viability
cause hydrolytic rancidity and oxidative rancidity in the oil, and the result is an acid value of 17.44 mg KOH/g of
oil and a low peroxide value (0.062 meq peroxide/1000 g of oil). However, the saponification index was elevated
(239.79 mg KOH/g of oil) due to the presence of low molecular weight fatty acid. As concerns the profile of the
fatty acid, the oil is composed mainly of oleic acid (72.23 %) and palmitic acid (22.18 %). In addition, buriti oil
presented a high content of carotenoids (760.5 ± 46.4 μg of β-carotene/g of oil), related to its antioxidant
capacity. Moreover, buriti oil did not show toxicity to human blood MN phagocytes and increased the rate of
cellular phagocytosis in EPEC and its microbicide index (69.3 ± 6.6 %), when compared with the negative
control group. (48.1 ± 5.4 %).

1. Introduction
The Brazilian Cerrado is the richest tropical savannah in the world
in terms of biodiversity and the second largest biome in South America
(Sano et al., 2010). As fruits from the Cerrado are rich in bioactive
compounds, they may present promising alternatives for the prevention
and treatment of diseases (Bailão et al., 2015). Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa
L.), the most abundant Brazilian native palm of the Arecaceae family, is
of particular interest in this respect.
Buriti is an oval drupe protected by a scaly pericarp which can be
either red or dark-red. The mesocarp is edible, while the endocarp has a
spongy texture. It is rich in bioactive compounds, such as vitamins,
antioxidants, unsaturated oils, and dietary fiber, and is principally
found in the swamp areas of the Amazon Forest and the Cerrado.
Moreover, given an annual production of over 10,000 tons, the plant
offers considerable socioeconomic potential (Instituto Brasileiro de
Geografia e Estatística, 2018; Neri-Numa et al., 2018; Resende et al.,
2019).
Buriti fruit is used in ice cream, jams, and desserts, and is an im-
portant source of oil. It is also frequently used as a skin ointment and in
the treatment of some diseases due to its tonic, anthelmintic, anti-
bacterial, and antimutagenic potential and healing properties.
Moreover, buriti has been widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic
formulations, such as body lotions, sun screens, etc. (Koolen et al.,
2012; Milanez et al., 2018; Neri-Numa et al., 2018; Nobre et al., 2018;
Resende et al., 2019; Ribeiro et al., 2010).
Recently, some in vitro studies have reported on the antimicrobial
activity of buriti oil when combined with aminoglycosides antibiotic,
using the microdilution transfer plate technique to determine the
minimum inhibitory concentration of buriti oil against Staphylococcus
aureus, Escherichia coli, and other multidrug-resistant bacterial strains
(Nobre et al., 2018; Pereira et al., 2018). However, the authors have
found no ex vivo studies of the immunomodulatory effects of buriti oil
with human peripheral blood mononuclear (MN) cells, or their con-
tribution to the phagocytosis of microorganisms or the Antimicrobial
Index.

⁎
Corresponding author at: Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, 78600-000, Brazil.
E-mail address: paulapertuzatti@yahoo.com.br (P.B. Pertuzatti).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2020.112330
Received 15 October 2019; Received in revised form 3 February 2020; Accepted 9 March 2020
0926-6690/ © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
M.B. Cruz, et al.
Evidence suggests that fatty acids act as detergents in the amphi-
pathic structure of a bacterial cell membrane, increasing the cell’s
permeability and impairing essential processes such as energy genera-
tion by oxidative phosphorylation (Pereira et al., 2018).
The main compound of the outer membrane of Gram-negative
bacteria is lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Release of LPS is a known route for
the activation of phagocytes, the first line of host defense against bac-
terial infections (Honorio-França et al., 2013; Martinez et al., 2008).
In the literature, another factor related to the elimination of bacteria
by MN phagocytes is the activation of oxidative metabolism, due to
cellular stimulation, by immunomodulatory agents such as bioactive
compounds present in various foods and medicinal plants. This leads to
the generation of reactive oxygen species and release of free radicals,
and consequent microbicidal activity (Côrtes et al., 2013).
Hence, the present study was conducted in order to evaluate the
effect of buriti oil in the stimulation of phagocytosis and elimination of
enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) by MN phagocytes from human blood.
For this purpose, buriti oil was characterized regarding carotenoid
content, fatty acids profile, and antioxidant capacity. Finally, the cor-
relation between the oil composition and immunomodulation effect
was performed.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Samples
Approximately 2 kg of natural buriti pulp from the city of Bom
Jardim de Goiás, State of Goiás (16° 11’ 12” S, 52° 10’ 14” W) was used.
The pulp was packed in polyethylene bags and stored at -18 °C until oil
extraction and analysis were carried out.
2.2. Chemicals and reagents
The chemicals 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulphonate)
(ABTS, ≥98 %), ( ± )-6-hidroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-car-
boxylic acid (Trolox®, 97 %), 2,2’-azobis (2-amidino-propane) dihy-
drochloride (AAPH), fluorescein disodium, acridine orange strain and
BF3 12 % were purchased from Sigma. Standards of fatty acid methyl
esters (FAME) were purchased from Supelco. All the other chemicals
used were of analytical grade.
2.3. Extraction and chemical characterization of buriti oil
For this step, 10 g of buriti pulp was used. The oil was extracted
with hexane P.A. at 95 °C for 8 h using a Goldfish fat extractor (Tecnal,
TE – 044 model).
For the oil characterization, the acidity index (method 325/IV),
peroxide index (method 326/IV), and saponification index (method
328/IV) were evaluated following the methods proposed by the
Instituto Adolfo Lutz (2008).
2.4. Fatty acids profile
Methyl esters of fatty acids were obtained following the method
proposed by Joseph and Ackman (1992). Briefly, 100 mg of the sample
was weighed in a test tube. Subsequently, 4 mL of NaOH 0.5 mol/L in
methyl alcohol was added. The tubes were heated in a water bath at
100 °C for 8 min. After cooling, 3 mL of 12 % boron trifluoride (BF3)
solution in methyl alcohol was added, and the tubes were heated again
in a water bath at 100 °C for 3 min. After cooling, 4 mL of saturated
NaCl solution was added with subsequent mixing. Then, 4 mL of hexane
was added, followed by vigorous mixing.
Finally, 1 μL of the upper organic phase was injected into the
Agilent 7890A gas chromatograph, using an automatic injector and a
flame ionization detection (FID) system. During operation, the detector
was maintained at 280 °C and the injector at 250 °C. The injection was
2
Industrial Crops & Products 149 (2020) 112330
performed in split mode (1:50), and the separation was carried out in a
DB 23 column (60 m x0.25 mm x 0.25 μm). The oven was set to 50 °C
for 1 min, after which it was heated at 25 °C/min to 175 °C, and then at
4 °C/min to 230 °C. The final temperature was maintained for 20 min.
The compounds were identified using the retention time of the fatty
acids present in the mix and analyzed under the same conditions. The
results were expressed in percentages.
2.5. Determination of total carotenoids
Total carotenoids were determined at 450 nm, following the method
proposed by Rodrigez-Amaya (2001). The quantification was per-
formed using the molar extinction coefficient of β-carotene in petro-
leum ether (2592 M/cm) and was expressed in μg of β-carotene/g of the
sample.
2.6. Antioxidant capacity
The antioxidant capacity of buriti oil was evaluated in a lipophilic
and hydrophilic extract, using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity
(ORAC) method. The ORAC lipophilic assay was carried out following
the procedure described by Dávalos et al. (2004), using 10 mL of the
lipophilic extract obtained as described in the carotenoid analysis
(section 2.5). An automated microplate reader (BMG Labtech) was used
at 37 °C and read every minute for 80 min, using a fluorescence detector
with an excitation wavelength of 485 nm and emission at 520 nm.
For the hydrophilic compounds, the extract was obtained following
the method proposed by Pertuzatti et al. (2014). Briefly, 50 mL of
formic acid: acetone: water (0.35:20:79.65 v/v/v) was added to 250 mg
of oil and mixed for 20 min. Subsequently, the solution was filtered and
the supernatant was re-extracted. The extracts were combined, and the
volume was adjusted for 100 mL in a volumetric flask. An aliquot of
20 μL of the extract was added to the microplate following the method
proposed by Prior et al. (2003).
The calibration curve was prepared using Trolox and the results
were expressed as μmol eq de Trolox, or (TE)/g of oil.
2.7. Separation of mononuclear phagocytes from human blood
For this step 10 mL of blood samples was collected from clinically
healthy volunteer donors aged 18-40. The blood was collected using
Vacutainer EDTA tubes (Beckton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA®).
The volunteers signed an informed consent form before participating,
which was approved by the local ethics committee of the Federal
University of Mato Grosso (Protocol Number CAAE: 1.415.375).
Subsequently, the separation of the cell populations was carried out
by density gradient with Ficoll-Paque (Pharmacia Uppsala, Sweden)
through centrifugation for 40 min at 1500 rpm, at room temperature
(25 °C). The MN phagocytes were collected and washed twice with 3 mL
of buffered saline (PBS). Next, the supernatant was removed and 1 mL
of PBS was added.
The cells were counted in a Neubauer chamber, and the cell con-
centration was adjusted to 2 × 106 cells/mL culture medium (Pessoa
et al., 2015).
2.8. Cell viability, phagocytosis and microbicidal index of human blood
phagocytes
The cell viability, phagocytosis, and microbicidal index were eval-
uated through the acridine orange technique, following the method
proposed by Bellinati-Pires et al. (1989) and adapted by França et al.
(2011). Equal volumes of MN phagocytes, buriti oil, and EPEC culture
line EPEC-ATCC 25922 were incubated in a water bath for 30 min at
37 °C. The negative control used only MN phagocytes and EPEC, while
the positive control also used an immunostimulator, the lipopoly-
saccharide (LPS). After this period, the blends were centrifuged for
M.B. Cruz, et al. Industrial Crops & Products 149 (2020) 112330

10 min at 1500 rpm, the supernatant was discarded, and the sediment Table 2
was dyed with 200 μL of acridine orange (14.4 g/L) for 1 min. Next, the Total carotenoids and antioxidant capacity of buriti pulp oil.
sediment was resuspended in medium 199, centrifuged, and washed Method Averages and Standard deviation CV(%)
twice with PBS. Finally, the cells were observed in an immuno-
fluorescence microscope (Nikon Eclipse E-200) with magnifications of Total carotenoids 760.5 ± 46.4 μg β-caroteno/g of oil 6.1
ORAC hydrophilic 70.9 ± 6.6a μmol eq de Trolox/g of oil 9.4
400x and 1000 × . The viability was determined by counting the
ORAC lipophilic 0.2 ± 0.0b μmol eq de Trolox/g of oil 7.1
number of orange-stained (dead) and green-stained (living) cells in 100
cells. The phagocytosis index was carried out by counting the number CV = coefficient of variation; ORAC = oxygen radical absorbance capacity; averages followed by

of cells that phagocytosed at least three bacteria in a “pool” of 100 cells.
Finally, the microbicide activity was evaluated by the ratio between
orange-stained (dead) and green-stained (living) bacteria.
2.9. Statistical analysis
All analyses were performed in triplicate, and the results were
submitted to an analysis of variance (ANOVA). When necessary, the
Tukey Test (p ≤ 0.05) was performed to verify the differences between
the averages.
different letters differsignificantly p≤0.05 by the Tukey test
.
Serra et al. (2019) (183.91 mg KOH/g of oil), and Lima et al. (2017)
(183 mg KOH/g). The high values indicate the presence of low mole-
cular weight fatty acids in buriti oil, since the lower the molecular
weight of the fatty acids present, the higher the amount of potassium
hydroxide required to neutralize the fatty acids resulting from the
complete oil hydrolysis.
3.2. Fatty acids

3. Results and discussion Sixteen fatty acids were identified in buriti oil using the mix stan-
dard (supplementary material).
3.1. Chemical characterization of buriti oil The fatty acid profile (Table 3) was composed of monounsaturated
fatty acids (73.05 %), in particular oleic acid (72.23 %), which is very
Chemical characterization of an oil is essential to determine its close to the content identified by Nobre et al. (2018) and within the
quality, identity, and stability, as regards the quality of the raw mate- range (65.6–78.55 %) verified in previous studies using buriti oil (Serra
rial, processing and profile of fatty acids (Lima et al., 2017; Serra et al., et al., 2019; Speranza et al., 2016). The oil also has a lower con-
2019). Of these quality parameters, the acidity index should be the centration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (1.66 %). Saturated fatty acids
lowest possible, since high values are indicative of changes, compro- represented 25.26 % of buriti oil, with palmitic acid the most promi-
mising the potential use of the oil as a food. nent (22.18 %). However, small amounts of hexanoic acid, caprylic
In this study, the acidity index (Table 1) was close to (17.44 mg acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, and pentadecanoic acid
KOH/g oil) but slightly higher than that found in the work of Cunha were found among the other saturated fatty acids. This fact may have
et al. (2012), who extracted buriti oil using supercritical extraction with contributed to the saponification index value being higher than the
carbon dioxide at 59.85 °C (333 K) and found 12.03 mg KOH/g of oil. values found in previous studies in which these fatty acids were not
This higher acidity index value may be attributable to the high tem- found (Cunha et al., 2012; Lima et al., 2017).
perature (95 °C) used in the extraction undertaken by the present study, The high content of oleic acid present in buriti oil contributes to its
and to the moisture (79.35 %) present in the buriti pulp (Schiassi et al., high nutritional quality and makes it interesting for use in the food
2018). Thus, both (the method and moisture) contributing to an in- industry as a possible ingredient in margarines or foods that are heated.
crease in the oil hydrolytic rancidity, with consequent de-esterification The potential stability of oleic acid during heating associated with its
of fatty acids and an increase in the concentrations of free fatty acids. low number of unsaturations and its synergism with antioxidants also
The peroxide index is an indicator of the oxidation degree of the oil present in buriti oil, making the oil more resistant to oxidation (Table 2)
or fat. The presence of peroxides is related to the occurrence of de- (Brinkmann, 2000; Serra et al., 2019).
gradative processes, with a consequent deterioration of the oil, re-
sulting in changes in flavor, color, and odor. The present study observed
a low value for the peroxide index (0.062 meq/1000 g of oil), which can
be attributed to three factors. The first factor is related to the fact that Table 3
the oil under analysis had only just been extracted, hence, oxidative Profile of the fatty acids present in the buriti oil.
rancidity was unlikely to occur, with consequent high peroxide for- Number of Carbons Fatty Acids Fatty acids (%)*
mation. The second factor can be attributed to the high content of
carotenoids found in buriti oil (Table 2), which are known for their Saturated 25.26
C 6:0 Hexanoic acid 0.01
antioxidant capacity (Pertuzatti et al., 2014). The third factor may be
C 8:0 Caprylic acid 0.05
related to the link of iodide to the double bonds found in the un- C 10:0 Capric acid 0.01
saturated fatty acids of buriti oil, resulting in a lower index value C 12:0 Lauric acid 0.03
(Berset and Cuvelier, 1996). C 14:0 Myristic acid 0.12
C 15:0 Pentadecanoic acid 0.07
The saponification index found in buriti oil was 239.79 mg KOH/g
C 16:0 Palmitic acid 22.18
of oil. This value is high when compared with other studies which C 17:0 Marginic acid 0.12
evaluated buriti oil, such as Cunha et al. (2012) (196 mg KOH/g of oil), C 18:0 Stearic acid 2.51
C 20:0 Arachidic acid 0.16
Table 1 Monounsaturated 73.05
C 16:1 Palmitoleic acid 0.15
Acidity index, peroxide index, and buriti oil saponification index.
C 17:1 Heptadecanoic acid 0.09
Buriti oil Averages and Standard deviation CV C 18:1 n9c Oleic acid 72.23
C 20:1 n9 Gadolinic acid 0.58
Saponification index 239.79 ± 18.60 mg KOH/g 7.7 Polyunsaturated 1.66
Peroxide index 0.06 ± 0.01 meq peroxide/1000 g 0.9 C 18:2 n6c Linoleic acid 0.51
Acidity index 17.44 ± 0.21 mg KOH/g 1.4 C 18:3 n3 Gamma-linolenic acid 1.15

CV = coefficient of variation. * averages of analyses made in triplicate.

3
M.B. Cruz, et al. Industrial Crops & Products 149 (2020) 112330

3.3. Total carotenoids Table 4

Viability index of mononuclear phagocytes in the
Table 2 presents data on the total carotenoid content of buriti pulp presence of buriti oil.
oil. The total carotenoid content found for buriti oil was 760.5 μg of β- Cellular Viability (%)
carotene/g of oil. This value is higher than some studies in the litera-
ture. Ferreira et al. (2011), who found a value of 692.9 μg of β-car- MN + Buriti oil 95.2 ± 2.7
otene/g of buriti pulp oil, and Vuong et al. (2006), who found 514 μg of
MN: mononuclear phagocytes of human blood.
β-carotene/g of buriti pulp, consider buriti to have the highest car-
otenoid content of all the Amazonian native fruit analyzed in their
Zhu, 2004; Wang et al., 2009).
study. Buriti are native to the Amazon or the Cerrado, and Cândido
It can be seen that buriti oil did not present toxicity to human blood
et al. (2015), analyzing the content of carotenoids in buriti from both
MN phagocytes and that its viability indexes were higher than 95 %
regions, observed that the native fruits of the Amazon have a higher
(Table 4). This demonstrates that there are no changes in the viability of
carotenoid content than those of the Cerrado. The authors attributed
human blood MN phagocytes in the presence of buriti oil, since oils and
this difference to the high temperature, humidity, and dense forest
extracts from medicinal plants induce immunomodulation, that is, the
vegetation of the Amazon, in contrast to the open field vegetation and
activation of the immune system, without altering cellular viability, and
mild, drier climate of the Cerrado.
provide beneficial effects for the treatment of diseases (Han et al., 2017;
As regards the carotenoids present in buriti, Rodriguez-Amaya et al.
Hasani-Ranjbar et al., 2008; Reinaque et al., 2012). Borges et al. (2012)
(2008) consider that it is a food source of α-carotene and β-carotene,
evaluated the viability of cells exposed to vegetable oils extracted from
and present substantial amounts of γ-carotene and zeaxanthin. More-
traditional plants from Northeast Brazil and did not observe any sig-
over, the authors consider it to have the highest concentration of β-
nificant cytotoxic effects in the studied macrophages, thus corrobor-
carotene of all Brazilian fruits analyzed to date.
ating the data found in the current study. Pessoa et al. (2015) observed
viability indexes higher than 90 % for human blood MN cells treated
3.4. Antioxidant capacity of buriti oil
with babassu oil, which is in accordance with the values determined in
this study. Data reproduced in the literature also relate cell viability to
The ORAC method was used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of
functional activity, demonstrating that stimuli such as medicinal plants
hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts (Table 2).
(Côrtes et al., 2013; Fredulin Scherer et al., 2011; Ribeiro et al., 2018)
The value of the antioxidant capacity of the hydrophilic extract was
and hormones (Fagundes et al., 2012) may increase the release of su-
found to be 70.92 μmol eq of Trolox/g of oil. This value is higher than
peroxide anion from MN phagocytes. This is associated with increased
that reported by Bataglion et al. (2015) (8.3 μmol eq of Trolox/g) and
phagocytic activity, due to the immunomodulating effect of these ex-
Milanez et al. (2018), who evaluated the antioxidant capacity of buriti
tracts, which causes a change in the function of the immune system,
during different stages of ripening and found that as the fruit matures
activating the oxidative metabolism (Honorio-França et al., 2013).
and the storage time increases, so does the antioxidant capacity of the
Human blood MN phagocytes treated with buriti oil (Table 5)
hydrophilic extract. This factor may be related to the increase in the
showed an increase in phagocytosis index of about 47 % as compared
content of the phenolic compounds of buriti, which are predominant in
with the untreated group (negative control) (MN + EPEC). This did not
the fruit pulp: p-coumaric, caffeic, protocatechuic, ferulic, quinic, and
differ statistically from the group treated with an immunostimulator
chlorogenic acids, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, apigenin, luteolin,
(positive control) (MN + EPEC + LPS) (p ≤ 0.05). This may have oc-
myricetin, kaempferol, and quercetin (Bataglion et al., 2014), besides
curred due to the presence of tocopherols in the sample, since buriti oil
other substances with antioxidant capacity.
is rich in α-tocopherol (1125.0 mg/kg), followed by γ-tocopherol
The value found for the antioxidant capacity of the lipophilic extract
(1074.0 mg/kg) (Speranza et al., 2016), as well as carotenoids, which
was 0.22 μmol eq of Trolox/g, a lower value than that found
were found in high amounts in the present study (760.5 μg of β-car-
(1.8 ± 0.01 μmol eq de Trolox/g) by Bataglion et al. (2015) in their
otene/g of oil). Tocopherols and carotenoids are known to act as anti-
studies of buriti oil. However, this value is close to that reported by
oxidants, capable of reducing cellular oxidative stress, increasing pha-
Pertuzatti et al. (2014) in the lipophilic extract of some blueberry
gocytosis and modulating the oxidative metabolism of neutrophils and
cultivars (0.22 μmol eq of Trolox/g of blueberry cultivar Elliot). When
MN macrophages (Bou Ghanem et al., 2017; Chen et al., 2017). Thus,
comparing the antioxidant capacity of the lipophilic extract with that of
they constitute an important defense mechanism against various bac-
the hydrophilic extract obtained in this research, it can be seen that the
terial (Honorio-França et al., 2013), fungal (Possamai et al., 2013), and
value of the lipophilic extract was more than three hundred times lower
protozoal (França-Botelho et al., 2011) infections.
than that of the hydrophilic extract, demonstrating a highly significant
The increase in phagocytosis index may have contributed to the
difference at p ≤ 0.05. According to Kuskoski et al. (2005), the anti-
microbicidal index of human blood MN phagocytes which was ob-
oxidant capacity of a particular fruit results from the interaction of its
served, since the microbicidal index in the treatment with buriti oil did
components, which provide a specific microenvironment and can pro-
not present a significant difference with the positive control at p≤0.05,
duce synergistic or inhibitory effects. Thus, it is possible to verify that
while both (positive control and buriti oil) showed a difference from the
the compounds present in the two extracts differ in relation to their
negative control (Table 5). This microbicidal index may be related to
ability to act against the peroxyl radical. According to Rodriguez-
the bioactive compounds discussed above and the presence of small
Amaya et al. (2008), carotenoids are very efficient in the control of
concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (Table 3). Such fatty
singlet oxygen, while phenolic compounds act mainly in the interrup-
acids, are responsible for the antimicrobial index because they act as
tion of the chain reaction, through the sequestration of free radicals.
detergents in the structure of bacterial cell membrane, increasing the
release of lipopolysaccharide, the main compound of the outer mem-
3.5. Cell viability, phagocytosis and microbicidal index of human blood
brane of Gram-negative bacteria (Koolen et al., 2013; Martinez et al.,
mononuclear phagocytes
2008; Pereira et al., 2018), as well as low concentrations of lauric acid,
a potential bacteriostatic agent (Nobre et al., 2018).
Food and dietary supplements may help us live healthier lives, if
used properly and wisely (Neri-Numa et al., 2018). For this reason,
many medicinal plants have been used as a source of new drugs for the 4. Conclusion
treatment of diseases. Scientific studies have investigated their safety,
efficacy, and quality therapeutic use (Dutra et al., 2016; Freiberg and Buriti pulp oil has proved have potential for use in the food and

4
M.B. Cruz, et al.
Table 5
Phagocytosis index and microbicidal activity of human blood mononuclear phagocytes.
Group
MN + EPEC (negative control)
MN + EPEC + LPS (positive control)
MN + EPEC + Buriti oil
MN: mononuclear phagocytes of human blood; EPEC: enteropathogenic
Escherichia coli; LPS:lipopolysaccharide; averages followed by different letters on the same column
differ significantly p≤0.05 by the Tukey test.
pharmaceutical industries. It has a high carotenoid content, which can
be considered a rich source of these compounds, which, combined with
the high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids and the pre-
dominance of oleic acid, contribute to its high nutritional quality and
stability during heating. Palmitic acid is another predominant fatty acid
found in buriti oil. However, low molecular weight fatty acids were also
found, contributing to the oil’s high saponification index and, together
with the antioxidant capacity for the immunomodulatory effect of the
oil, increasing the rate of phagocytosis of EPEC by MN blood cells,
causing a significant increase in microbicidal activity.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Mariana Bento Cruz: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software,
Investigation, Writing - original draft. Wellington da Silva Oliveira:
Conceptualization, Software, Validation, Investigation, Writing - review
& editing. Renata Lázara Araújo: Methodology, Software, Formal
analysis, Investigation, Writing - original draft. Adenilda Cristina
Honório França: Resources, Writing - review & editing, Supervision,
Funding acquisition. Paula Becker Pertuzatti: Conceptualization,
Methodology, Formal analysis, Resources, Writing - review & editing,
Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
Declaration of Competing Interest
None.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Universidade Federal de Mato
Grosso (UFMT) for their support and Conselho Nacional de
Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPQ) for their financial
support for funding this study (407220/2016-0).
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Supplementary material related to this article can be found, in the
online version, at doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2020.112330.
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