title: Immunomodulatory and Antimicrobial Activity of Babassu Mesocarp Improves the Survival in Lethal Sepsis.
abstract: Attalea speciosa syn Orbignya phalerata Mart. (babassu) has been used in the treatment of inflammatory and infectious diseases. Aim of the study. To investigate the antimicrobial and immunological activity of babassu mesocarp extract (EE). Material and Methods. The in vitro antimicrobial activity was evaluated by disk diffusion assay and by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The flavonoids and phenolic acids content were determined by chromatography. The in vivo assays were performed in Swiss mice submitted to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The mice received EE subcutaneously (125 or 250 mg/Kg), 6 hours after the CLP. The number of lymphoid cells was quantified and the cytokines production was determined by ELISA after 12 h. Results. EE was effective as antimicrobial to E. faecalis, S. aureus, and MRSA. EE is rich in phenolic acids, a class of compounds with antimicrobial and immunological activity. An increased survival can be observed in those groups, possibly due to a significant inhibition of TNF-α and IL-6. Conclusions. The EE showed specific antimicrobial activity in vitro and an important antiseptic effect in vivo possibly due to the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activity.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elizabeth S B
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5867-5583
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Barroqueiro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dayanna S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Barcellos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tonicley A
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5024-7090
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wanderson S
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6757-6798
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucilene A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7708-2196
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia C G
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8782-4923
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo B
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5367-0620
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Barroqueiro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia R F
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9328-1806
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Azizedite G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratorio de Imunofisiologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Cidade Univesitária Dom Delgado, No. 1966, Avenida dos Portugueses, 6080-580 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosane N M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9865-9262
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Guerra