Immunomodulatory and Antimicrobial Activity of Babassu Mesocarp Improves the Survival in Lethal Sepsis

Abstract

Attalea speciosasynOrbignya phalerataMart. (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.Thein vitroantimicrobial activity was evaluated by disk diffusion assay and by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) toEscherichia coli,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Enterococcus faecalis,Staphylococcus aureus,and methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA). The flavonoids and phenolic acids content were determined by chromatography. Thein vivoassays 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 toE. 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-αand IL-6.Conclusions.The EE showed specific antimicrobial activityin vitroand an important antiseptic effectin vivopossibly due to the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activity.