Caracterização química e atividade anti-inflamatória tópica de óleos de Carapa guianensis Aubl. (Meliaceae) oriundos de áreas alagadas e de terra-firme em Oriximiná, Oeste do Pará.

Abstract

Known as andiroba in the Amazon region, the species Carapa guianensis Aublet. is a typically Brazilian plant with significant economic importance and value in the timber industry. The oil is well known for its medicinal properties, being extracted from the seeds of the plant, and provides various benefits for the people who live in the Amazon. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical characteristics and topical anti-inflammatory potential of andiroba seed oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl., Meliaceae) from different productive areas, one being a flooded area and the other on firm ground, both in Western Pará, Eastern Amazon. The seeds were collected between March and April 2022. Physical-chemical analyses of andiroba seed oils obtained by cold manual pressing, using an oil-expeller press, and traditional extraction were carried out. The chemical composition of the oils was determined by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The anti-inflammatory activity was tested in mice on the ear edema induced by multiple applications of croton oil. A significant difference was observed in the acidity index values of both oils extracted by pressing and the traditional method, with the latter having higher acidity. The chemical composition of the oil did not change due to the seed collection areas. The cold pressing extraction method yielded higher quality oil compared to the traditional method. The pressed oil showed topical anti-inflammatory activity in the croton oil-induced ear edema model, reducing inflammatory response and dermal edema. The results suggest that manual pressing of the seeds could be an alternative to obtaining oil by the traditional method, which has higher added value as it meets the quality criteria for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.