Development, characterisation, stability study and antileukemic evaluation of nanoemulsions containing Astrocaryum aculeatum extract

The objective of this work was to produce and characterise nanoemulsions containing tucuma extract and to evaluate the performance of the nanostructure and the free compound regarding antitumor activity, cytotoxicity, and oxidative metabolism in NB4/APL cells. The nanoemulsions showed adequate physicochemical characteristics (average size approx. 200 nm, polydispersity index less than 0.3, negative zeta potential and acid pH) maintained stable up to 90 days of storage in refrigeration condition. The nanoformulations did not present protein corona formation. Blank nanoemulsion treatments showed moderate toxicity. Furthermore, the nanoemulsion loaded with extract showed better antileukemic results than the free extract. However, nanoemulsions can be promising carriers of natural compounds, emphasising their biological properties and constituting alternatives in treating diseases.

Automated summary

The objective of this study was to produce and characterize nanoemulsions containing tucuma extract and evaluate their performance in terms of antitumor activity, cytotoxicity, and oxidative metabolism. The results showed that the nanoemulsions had desirable physicochemical characteristics, remained stable during storage, and exhibited better antileukemic effects compared to free extract. Therefore, nanoemulsions have the potential to be promising carriers of natural compounds for disease treatment.