The pequi pulp oil (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) provides protection against aging-related anemia, inflammation and oxidative stress in Swiss mice, especially in females

Abstract

Continued exposure to reactive oxygen species and inflammation are the rationale behind aging theories and associated diseases. Scientific evidence corroborates the ethnomedicinal use of the oil of pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.), a typical Brazilian Cerrado fruit, against oxidative damage to biomolecules and inflammation. We aimed to investigate in vivo the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of pequi oil on hemogram and DNA damage in healthy young adult and older middle-aged Swiss mice of both genders. Animals, aged 6-7 and 11-12 months, were orally treated for 15 days with pequi oil at 30 mg/day. Blood samples were used for hemogram and comet assay, and bone marrow for micronucleus test. Female controls of 11-12 months had significantly lower haemoglobin and hematocrit than those of 6-7 months. Treatment with pequi oil improved this state, removing the differences. Pequi oil had no genotoxic or clastogenic effects and significantly increased lymphocytes and decreased neutrophils+monocytes in females of 11-12 months, removing the significant differences observed between controls of 6-7 and 11-12 months. The results suggest that dietary supplementation with pequi oil could protect against anemia, inflammation and oxidative stress related to aging, helping to prevent aging-related chronic degenerative diseases, mainly for females.

Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Cambess)-Loaded Nanoemulsion, Orally Delivered, Modulates Inflammation in LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice

“…We observed that oral pretreatment with pequi-NE, but not with pequi oil in free form, reduced the influx of neutrophils and macrophages collected in the BALF. Our results are consistent with studies reporting that pequi administration reduces neutrophil and monocytes present in blood in a model of age-related inflammation in mice [ 5 ]. Moreover, pretreatment with pequi reduced leukocyte infiltration, primarily polymorphonuclear cells, in the joint cavity in a model of zymosan-induced arthritis in rat knee joint [ 27 ].…”

“…Interestingly, pequi and oleic acid-NE treatment reversed pulmonary oxidative stress. Our results are according to studies showing promising pequi activity with respect to the inhibition of pre-formed free radicals in vitro analyzed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate free radical scavenging method (DPPH assay) [5,19]. Moreover, pequi reduced lipid peroxidation in an in vivo aluminum-induced neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation model [46], in an exhaustive exercise-induced liver inflammation model [43], in liver in an atherosclerosis model [47], and in an urethane-induced lung tumor model [10].…”

“…Brazil contains approximately 18% of all plant biodiversity worldwide, consisting of a rich source of natural products for phytotherapy [ 4 ]. The Caryocar brasiliense Cambess, popularly known as pequi or piqui, is a native fruit cultivated and consumed primarily in the Brazilian Cerrado [ 5 ]. Pequi plays an important role in the local economy due its use in the cosmetics industry and in traditional culinary methods [ 6 ].…”

Caryocar brasiliense Cambess. Pulp Oil Supplementation Reduces Total Cholesterol, LDL-c, and Non-HDL-c in Animals

“…The values we found are similar to those reported by Nascimento-Silva et al (2019) [ 23 ]: 55.87%, 35.17%, and 1.53%, respectively, except linoleic FA that has a higher percentage in their study. Similar content (1.36%) was also reported by Roll et al (2018) [ 19 ].…”

“…Although not being one of the main traditional oil crops, such as soybean, canola, sunflower and [ 18 ], another vegetable oil with a high content of MUFAs is C. brasiliense , with 54.28% oleic FA [ 19 , 20 ]. It is from a typical Brazilian fruit known as pequi, with a yellow-orangish colour and peculiar odor, reported as being rich in antioxidant compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, tocopherols, phytosterols [ 21 ], lycopene, and beta-carotene [ 22 ], besides showing anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effect [ 23 ].…”