<i>In vivo</i> evaluation of hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effects of aqueous extract from Caco seeds ( <i>Chrysobalanus icaco</i> L.) and action mechanisms by <i>in silico</i> prediction in a model of hypertriglyceridaemia

<i>Chrysobalanus icaco</i> L. (Caco) is a fruit tree distributed in tropical areas of Africa and America. Its seeds are a rich source of bioactive compounds, and their consumption could have a positive impact on human health during dyslipidaemias. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hypolipidaemic and antioxidant activities of aqueous extract of Caco seeds in an <i>in vivo</i> model of hypertriglyceridaemia induced by Triton WR-1339 (tyloxapol). Phytochemical characterisation revealed saponin and phytic acid contents of 4730 ± 190 µg of saponin equivalents and 1·0 ± 0·05 µg phytic acid equivalents g^–1 of sample, respectively. Phenolic acids and flavonoids (ellagic acid, apigenin-7-O-glucuronide and myricetin, among others) were identified by HPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight (TOF) -MS. Aqueous extract of Caco seeds was administered once daily for three consecutive days at two doses (150 and 600 mg/kg) in male CD1 mice, where treatment with 600 mg/kg reduced serum TAG levels by 64 % compared with control, decreased oxidative damage to lipids and proteins and modulated superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity in hepatic tissue. Complementary <i>in silico</i> molecular docking analyses suggested a potential interaction of apigenin-7-O-glucuronide with lipid metabolism-related enzymes. These findings indicate that <i>C. icaco</i> L. seeds may be considered a promising source of bioactive molecules for the treatment and management of early phases of dyslipidaemias, as evidenced in an acute model, but their full potential in chronic stages merits further research.