Nanoencapsulated buriti oil: toxicological assessment in Caenorhabditis elegans , simulated digestion and enhanced biological potential.

BACKGROUND

Buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa) (BO) possesses high nutritional and functional value due to its carotenoids, phenolics, and unsaturated fatty acids, which exhibit antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, its lipophilic nature and susceptibility to oxidation limit its industrial application. Nanoencapsulation overcomes these obstacles by increasing oxidative stability and water dispersibility and by enhancing bioactivity. This study investigated the effects of BO nanoencapsulation in porcine gelatin (OPG) on toxicity (cell cultures and Caenorhabditis elegans), simulated digestion, as well as redox-modulating, antioxidant, and antifungal properties.

RESULTS

The OPG nanoformulation had a diameter of 69.72 nm, a high encapsulation efficiency (95.79%), and high water dispersibility (79.91%). No activity was observed against human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) or Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) for either OPG or BO, but both exhibited activity against 3T3 cells (P < 0.05) at 500 μg mL⁻¹. In C. elegans assays, no toxicity on egg hatching or body size was observed at the evaluated concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 1.0 mg mL-1). Linoleic acid was preferentially released in the intestinal phase (56.12%) during simulated digestion. Compared with BO (2.24 ± 0.003 mg ascorbic acid equivalent [AAE] g⁻¹), OPG exhibited a significantly higher total antioxidant capacity (23.40 ± 0.004 mg AAE g⁻¹), greater antifungal activity against Candida spp. (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) = 5 mg mL⁻¹), and an enhanced redox-modulating dose-response in C. elegans.

CONCLUSION

Buriti oil nanoparticles in porcine gelatin were safe in cellular and animal models in a dose-dependent manner while demonstrating antifungal efficacy against Candida spp. The nanoencapsulation technology protects the oil from gastric digestion, ensuring intestinal release and enhancing antioxidant capacity. These results demonstrate that nanoencapsulation enhanced the bioactive properties of BO. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.