Physicochemical characterization, fatty acid profile, antioxidant activity and antibacterial potential of cacay oil, coconut oil and cacay butter

PLoS One. 2020 Apr 28;15(4):e0232224. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232224. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The Amazon region is rich in genetic resources such as oilseeds which have potentially important local commercial exploitation. Despite its high concentration of bioactive compounds, cacay (Caryodendron orinocense Karst.) oil is poorly investigated and explored. Thus, this study focuses on the physicochemical characterization (moisture, density, and saponification, iodine, and acidity values), fatty acid composition as determined by gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC/MS), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay) of cacay oil, coconut oil and a coconut/cacay oil blend, also known as cacay butter. The antibacterial activity of cacay oil was additionally evaluated. Our study demonstrated that cacay oil presents a high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (58.3%) with an emphasis on linoleic acid and a lower acidity value (2.67 ± 0.01 cg I2/g) than butter and coconut oil, indicating a low concentration of free fatty acids. In contrast, cacay butter and coconut oil presented higher saturated fatty acid percentages (69.1% and 78.4%, respectively) and higher saponification values (242.78 and 252.22 mg KOH/g, respectively). The samples showed low moisture and relative density between 912 and 916 kg/m3. The hydrophilic fraction of cacay oil was highlighted in the quantification of TPC (326.27 ± 6.79 mg GAE/kg) and antioxidant capacity in vitro by DPPH radical scavenging assay (156.57 ± 2.25 μmol TE/g). Cacay oil inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus (44.99 ± 7.68%), Enterococcus faecalis (27.76 ± 0.00%), and Staphylococcus aureus (11.81 ± 3.75%). At long last, this is the first study reporting the physicochemical characterization and bioactive properties of cacay butter. Coconut oil and cacay butter showed great oxidative stability potential due to higher contents of saturated fatty acids. Moreover, cacay oil presents as an alternative source of raw materials for cosmetic and biotechnology industries due to its high concentration of PUFA and for being a rich source of phenolic compounds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Coconut Oil / chemistry*
  • Coconut Oil / pharmacology
  • Euphorbiaceae / chemistry*
  • Fatty Acids / chemistry
  • Fatty Acids / pharmacology
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / chemistry
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / pharmacology
  • Free Radical Scavengers / chemistry
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Phenols / chemistry
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Phytochemicals / chemistry
  • Phytochemicals / pharmacology
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Fatty Acids
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Phenols
  • Phytochemicals
  • Plant Oils
  • Coconut Oil

Grants and funding

This study was partly financed by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. WMdA was supported by a CAPES fellowship. Plantus LTDA (Nísia Floresta, Brazil) provided the cacay and coconut oils, and cacay butter utilized to conduct this research. There was no additional external funding received for this study.