Stability and Cytotoxicity of a Cosmetic Cream Containing Oil from Lecythis pisonis Cambess (Sapucaia) Nuts.

Abstract

Lecythis pisonis nuts are rich in tocopherols, polyphenols, and fatty acids, and hence, the quality of oil was analyzed for use in the elaboration of skin cream. Nut oil was extracted with hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus. The quality and safety of the oil were tested by using established protocols from Adolf Lutz Institute. Three concentrations, 1%, 5%, and 10%, of oil were incorporated into a formulated cream. The oil formulations were evaluated for their stability, organoleptic characteristics, pH, viscosity, spreadability, challenge test, cellular viability, and their response to microbial contamination, as recommended by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Quality analysis demonstrated the high quality of the obtained oil, with no traces of heavy metals and no toxic effects on ingestion. The cream containing L. pisonis nut oil is stable, has an effective preservative system, and is considered safe for use because it presented no toxicity in human cells. A stabilizer is required to maintain the pH in the range suitable for a body cream. Of the formulations tested, the cream containing 5% nut oil was the most stable and had presented the best organoleptic characteristics.