Influence of natural preservatives on the bioactivity and stability of a nutraceutical formulation

The medicinal properties of plants have been well known from an early age, but nowadays there are many scientific studies supporting these claims. Aloe Arborescens Mill. is one of the most abundant species of the Aloe genus, native to South Africa which has been imported into many countries as an ornamental and medicinal plant due to its biological effects, namely antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and scab healing properties, which have been proven by scientific studies [1]. Beyond this, A. arborescens is also used for the extraction of active ingredients with cosmetic and nutraceutical interest [2]. The growing concern about the amount of chemicals added to foods as well as pharmaceutical and cosmetic products lead consumer preference to tilt towards products with low additives, and, when possible, natural additives, which are perceived by consumers as less harmful to human healthThe authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); the PhD grant of Filipa A. Fernandes (SFRH/BD/145467/2019). Lillian Barros thanks FCT through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for her contract, while Márcio Carocho, Sandrina A. Heleno and José Pinela thank FCT through the individual scientific employment program-contracts (CEECIND/00831/2018 and CEECIND/03040/2017); European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project GreenHealth - Digital strategies in biological assets to improve well-being and promote green health, Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042. To the MICINN for the contract to researcher Miguel A. Prieto. To the Kontaktotal - Consultores Associados, Lda. - Dep. CuraNatura for the collaboration in this project.