Technology already patented is the result of a partnership between Unicamp, UEL, UEM and UFAM. Compound can prevent infections that affect pregnant women and harm newborns
Copaiba oil is known in popular medicine as “natural antibiotic from the forest” or “balm of the Amazon”. The names refer to its bioactive healing and antimicrobial properties. A partnership between four universities in three states aimed to enhance these effects by associating vegetable oil with “green” nanotechnology, which uses methods for generating nanostructures with less environmental impact. The result is a new antimicrobial compound that combines copaiba oil with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) produced from fungi.
“The action of silver nanoparticles is extremely efficient, as they kill bacteria. By associating them with copaiba oil we have a synergy. Nanotechnology assists in activity, reactivity and makes the antimicrobial effect act for much longer”, explains the researcher at the Institute of Chemistry (IQ) and collaborating professor at the Institute of Biology (IB) at Unicamp, Nelson Duran, one of the pioneers in nanobiotechnology studies in Brazil.
The application of silver nanoparticles to combat superbugs and other microorganisms has been studied at Unicamp since 2013, with patents registered by Inova Unicamp. The technology has already been evaluated in several studies, with environmental applications, in cancer treatment, in sprays and fabrics with the potential to fight viruses, such as Covid-19.
The innovation of the developed compound lies in its association with copaiba oil, which also has medical and health benefits. Technical cooperation involved thirteen researchers from the State Universities of Campinas, Maringá and Londrina, and the Federal University of Amazonas. The exchange resulted in the development of a compound with greater therapeutic efficacy, with lower concentrations of components and reduced adverse effects.
According to the researchers, the technology can be used in formulations of antiseptics and antimicrobials for topical use (such as creams and ointments for the skin), cleaning products, sanitizers and even in fabrics with antimicrobial function.
The invention was protected with a patent requested by the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency. The commercial exploitation of the technology will be available to companies that, in return, will allocate part of the profits to the universities involved. This makes it possible to maintain investments in laboratories for new studies.
Alternative to conventional antibiotics
The new compound could be a natural alternative in the treatment of infections caused by multi-resistant microorganisms. The increase in superbugs is a global problem caused, among other reasons, by the intensive use of antibiotics. By associating silver nanoparticles with copaiba oil, researchers seek to hinder resistance to antimicrobials.
“It is more difficult for bacteria to develop resistance mechanisms against two associated compounds that act synergistically. Copaiba oil has several active ingredients, which makes it even more difficult and reduces the selection of multi-resistant bacteria”, says professor Renata Kobayashi, who studies resistance and antibacterial activity of natural compounds at the Laboratory of Basic and Applied Bacteriology at the State University. from Londrina (UEL).
Antibacterial nanoparticles combined with copaiba oil could be alternatives to conventional antibiotics because, in addition to not contributing to the increase in the selection of multi-resistant bacteria, they allow reducing side effects and dosages, as the combination requires smaller amounts of each active ingredient.
Nanotechnology with potential in the treatment of pregnant women
The researchers carried out tests vitro with some microorganisms, including the fungus Candida albicans and the bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae. Both live normally in the human body, but, in situations of imbalance, they grow out of control and become harmful to health.
The fungus is one of those responsible for candidiasis, a disease that can affect various parts of the body, and often the genitals. According to an estimate from the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 75% of women will experience at least one episode of vaginal candidiasis during their lifetime.
The bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae, in turn, can colonize the vaginal mucosa in pregnant women and be transmitted to the baby at the time of birth. It is considered one of the most common causes of sepsis (generalized infection) in newborns.
“We started looking for a natural product, thinking about treating pregnant women colonized by S. agalactiae, as she cannot take any type of medication. The association of silver nanoparticles and copaiba oil enhanced the antimicrobial effect and reduced the necessary concentration of both”, explains professor Sueli Ogatta, from the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Microorganisms at the State University of Londrina (UEL).
The reduction observed in concentration studies was of the order of eight times, with maintenance of the antibacterial effect of each component alone.
Sustainable production
The silver used to produce the nanoparticles is the same as that found in jewelry, the difference being only in the size of the molecule, explains Professor Duran. “Silver is the same but one is macro and the other is nano.” In this dimension, matter acquires new properties. And, despite their small size, silver nanoparticles have a relatively large surface compared to other nanostructures.
Professor Gerson Nakazato, former Unicamp postgraduate student and coordinator, together with Professor Kobayashi, of the Laboratory of Basic and Applied Bacteriology at UEL, recalls that this increases the efficiency and interaction capacity of the metal with other components, reducing also the risk of absorption by the body. Silver is not very toxic to animal cells, but its accumulation in the body and the environment can have unwanted effects.
The biological production process does not use chemical elements that result in substances that are toxic to nature. Nanoparticle synthesis is made from the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. It secretes enzymes that promote the transformation of silver salt into nanosilver. On the other hand, copaíba oil is a valuable source of income for populations in the Amazon. Extraction, with sustainable management, guarantees long-lasting production, in cycles, without cutting down trees. The discovery of new properties of copaiba and the improvement of those already known provide a vast field of applications for the compound.
“We believe, for example, that the residual power of a sanitizer with this technology has a much longer action than those currently available on the market”, ponders Nakazato. The interinstitutional group's next step is to test the effectiveness of the combination of silver nanoparticles and copaiba oil against some viruses, especially the coronavirus.
original article published on the website of the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency.
