The anti-infective and immunologic effect of babassu (Attalea speciosa, Mart. ex Spreng) reduces mortality induced by MRSA-Staphylococcus aureus

Ângela Tâmara Lemos Souza Barroqueiro; Márcia Cristina Gonçalves Maciel; André Alvares Marques Vale; Mayara Cristina Pinto Silva; Andressa Caroline Dos Santos Maia; Ana Paula Azevedo Dos Santos; Johnny Ramos do Nascimento; Flávia Raquel Fernandes do Nascimento; Claudia Quintino Rocha; Elizabeth Soares Fernandes; Rosane Nassar Meireles Guerra

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.117363

The anti-infective and immunologic effect of babassu (Attalea speciosa, Mart. ex Spreng) reduces mortality induced by MRSA-Staphylococcus aureus

J Ethnopharmacol. 2024 Feb 10:320:117363. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117363. Epub 2023 Nov 8.

Affiliations

¹ Laboratório de Imunofisiologia - LIF, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, 65080-805, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil; Universidade CEUMA, Rua Josué Montello, No. 1, Renascença II, São Luís, MA, 65075-120, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Universidade de Brasília - Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Laboratório de Imunologia do Câncer - LIAC, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, São Luís, MA, 65080-805, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Laboratório de Imunofisiologia - LIF, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, 65080-805, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Programa de Pós-graduação Em Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Av. Iguaçú, 333, Rebouças, Curitiba, PR, 80230-020, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Laboratório de Imunologia do Câncer - LIAC, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, São Luís, MA, 65080-805, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Laboratório de Imunofisiologia - LIF, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, 65080-805, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil; Centro Universitário UNDB, Av. Colares Moreira, 443, Jardim Renascença, São Luís, MA, 65075-441, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Laboratório de Imunofisiologia - LIF, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, 65080-805, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Laboratório de Produtos Naturais - Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas - Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, São Luís, MA, 65080-805, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁰ Programa de Pós-graduação Em Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Av. Iguaçú, 333, Rebouças, Curitiba, PR, 80230-020, Brazil; Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Av. Silva Jardim, 1632 - Água Verde, Curitiba, PR, 80250-060, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹¹ Laboratório de Imunofisiologia - LIF, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Dom Delgado, Av. dos Portugueses, 1966, 65080-805, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 37944870
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117363

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Babassu mesocarp, derived from the Attalea speciosa fruits, is used in folk medicine for infections, inflammatory diseases, and skin wounds.

Aim of the study: To investigate the antimicrobial and immunological effect of babassu mesocarp aqueous extract (BAE) in Swiss mice lethally infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Materials and methods: The animals (n = 14/group) received an overload of MRSA (3.0 × 10⁸ CFU/mL, via intraperitoneal) and were treated 6 h later with the BAE (125 and 250 mg/kg, subcutaneously). Two experiments were performed with four groups each (Control, ATB, BAE125 and BAE 250). The first was to determine the survival (n = 7 animals/group). The second is to evaluate 24h after infection the number of Colony Forming Units (CFU) and cells in the blood, peritoneum and bronchoalveolar fluid. Cytometric Bead Assay - CBA quantified the cytokines and flow cytometry to determine the cellular distribution in the mesenteric lymph node.

Results: Treatment with BAE improved the survival (60%) in all groups, reduced the number of colony-forming units in the peritoneum and blood, the number of peritoneal and bronchoalveolar cells, and the levels of pro-inflammatory IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17 cytokines. Additionally, BAE increased: IL-10 and INF-γ levels, nitric oxide release, CD4⁺ T helper cells, CD14+/IaIe + activated macrophages and Ly6G + neutrophils in the mesenteric lymph node.

Conclusions: BAE can be used as a complementary treatment during infections due to its antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effect and the ability to protect animals from death after MRSA lethal infection.

Keywords: Attalea speciosa; Cytokine; Immunomodulation; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; babassu; sepsis.

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Infective Agents* / pharmacology
Anti-Infective Agents* / therapeutic use
Cytokines
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus*
Mice
Mice, Inbred CBA
Staphylococcal Infections* / drug therapy
Staphylococcal Infections* / pathology
Staphylococcus aureus

Substances

Cytokines
Anti-Infective Agents