Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: MALU ANDRADE ALVES DE LIMA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MALU ANDRADE ALVES DE LIMA
DATE: 30/03/2026
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: VIDEOCONFERÊNCIA
TITLE:

Nanoparticles containing quinoa oil (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): evaluation of

cytotoxicity and simulated gastrointestinal digestion

KEY WORDS:

Fatty acids; Nanoencapsulation; Cell viability; Simulated in vitro digestion.

PAGES: 122
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Farmácia
SUMMARY:

Quinoa is a pseudocereal with high nutritional and bioactive potential, standing out for

its high protein content, as well as vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. The

oil extracted from this seed presents significant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids and

vitamin E, making it a product of functional interest. In this scenario, the nanoencap

sulation of lipophilic compounds is a promising strategy to enable their solubilization in

an aqueous matrix, preserve the integrity of bioactive compounds, increase bioavaila

bility, and enhance the bioactive properties of the oil. Therefore, the objective of this

work was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and simulated gastrointestinal digestion of nano

particles containing quinoa oil. For this purpose, porcine gelatin (GS) and whey protein

(WP) were used as encapsulating agents, associated with Tween 20 as a surfactant,

aiming at the production of two nanoformulations through the oil/water emulsification

technique: OG (quinoa oil + porcine gelatin) and OPG (quinoa oil + gelatin and whey

protein). The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of morphology, diameter and

chemical interactions (SEM and DLS), evaluated for encapsulation efficiency, in vitro

cytotoxicity (cell lines: CHO-K1, HeLa, 3T3 and A549) and in vivo (Caenorhabditis el

egans), in addition to simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. SEM characterization

revealed particles with a physical size of 200 nm and a smooth, crack-free surface,

with a spherical shape and diameters of 151.0 (± 44.51) and 198.3 (± 1.00) nm, re

spectively for OG and OPG. Encapsulation efficiency was 92.69% (± 5.461) for the OG

nanoformulation and 97.88% (± 0.065) for the OPG. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed that

the oil did not exhibit cytotoxic effects on CHO-K1, HeLa, 3T3, and A549 cells (> 95%)

after 24 hours, and specific cytotoxicity in 3T3 cells (67%) after 72 hours. Regarding

nanoparticles, OG did not show cytotoxic potential at high concentrations (90%) even

after 72 hours, and OPG demonstrated cytotoxicity to 3T3 and A549 cells and an ab

sence of cytotoxic effect on CHO-K1 and HeLa cell lines. Furthermore, the in vivo tox

icity of quinoa oil to Caenorhabditis elegans was evaluated using the egg hatching

assay, showing no statistical difference between the control group and the tested con

centrations (p > 0.05). In vitro gastrointestinal release demonstrated the absence of

fatty acids in both formulations during the oral phase. The OG sample showed greater

gastric release, with 41.650% (±14.463) of linoleic acid and 33.360% (± 0.000) of oleic

acid released, while the OPG sample performed better in the intestinal phase, with

64.160% (± 0.730) of linoleic acid released and 21.310% (± 2.810) of oleic acid re

leased. Thus, nanoencapsulation of quinoa oil proved to be a strategy that optimizes

the bioactive properties of the oil, expanding its possibilities for industrial application.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 3652554 - FRANCISCO CANINDE DE SOUSA JUNIOR
Externa ao Programa - 3211846 - KARLA SUZANNE FLORENTINO DA SILVA CHAVES DAMASCENO - nullExterno ao Programa - 3471264 - WÓGENES NUNES DE OLIVEIRA - null