Potentialities of Cashew Nut ( Anacardium occidentale ) By-Product for Pharmaceutical Applications: Extraction and Purification Technologies, Safety, and Anti-inflammatory and Anti-arthritis Activities

The large consumption of cashew nut from Anacardium occidentale L., Anacardiaceae, generates accumulation of shells, a solid by-product from agri-food industry. The cashew nut shell liquid is rich in phenolic lipids, recognized for its anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, and the shell of this fruit carry the great oil. For these reasons, this study aimed to investigate the potential of the residual shells as a source of phenolic lipids and bioactive extract for pharmaceutical applications. The ethyl acetate extract from the oil of the chestnut bark of A. occidentale (M3 extract) was optimized to obtain a phenolic lipid-rich extract and preparative chromatography was used to increase the yield of isolated phenolic lipid derivatives. In addition, the toxicity profile, anti-inflammatory, and acute and chronic anti-arthritis activities of the M3 extract were evaluated in in vivo models. The M3 extract (25–100 mg/kg) on zymosan-induced air pouch and arthritis models revealed a significant anti-edematogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential. The post-treatment with M3 extract at dose of 100 mg/kg dependently improved a complete Freud’s adjuvant-induced arthritis model, with prevention osteoarticular degradation. Therefore, these results report that bioactive M3 extract obtained from by-product is safe, eco-friendly, and promising for the rheumatoid arthritis therapy. Graphical Abstract