Avaliação da atividade antifúngica do bio-óleo de coco no fungo Candida albicans

Abstract

In Brazil, coconut tree cultivation is a significant industry, which generates a large amount of waste in landfills for twelve years, causing proliferation in groundwater, proliferation of different disease-causing insects, among others. Materials such as coconut waste are rich in compounds that can be used in different ways, achieving better disposal and generating rich products for the entire society through this biomass. Pyrolysis appears as a solution to convert this waste in a sustainable way, thus obtaining three products with great added value: biochar, bio-oil and biogas. Bio-oil, due to its synergy of different compounds, has antifungal action, which may even resemble several commercial products on the market. The fungus of the genus Candida albicans is a fungus that causes the most common systemic disease, candidiasis. In view of the above, the present work aimed to pyrolyze the coconut endocarp in order to evaluate the action of this bio-oil as an antifungal agent on the candida albicans strain. The bio-oil extract was evaluated at different concentrations, 12.5; 6.25; 3.12; 1.56; 0.70; 0.39; 0.19 and 0.09 mg/mL, and, quantitatively and qualitatively, determined the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of bio-oil that should be used to control bacterial growth. This concentration was 0.70 mg/mL, that is, with a small amount of bio-oil, a very satisfactory and promising result for this bacterial control was obtained. Thus, the bio-oil used as a product of this work proved to be efficient in controlling the candida albicans fungus, proving its high antifungal power.