Buriti oil showed promise in lab tests against snake venom toxins—inhibiting serine protease activity by 84% and reducing phospholipase and metalloprotease activity by 60% at the highest dose tested. The oil's main active components are fatty acids (primarily 9-eicosenoic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid). However, this research was done in test tubes and on mice, not human skin, so claims about skincare benefits aren't supported by this study.

Researchers analyzed buriti oil's chemical composition, then tested whether it could block three types of toxins from a specific Brazilian snake venom in lab conditions and in mice. The study compared traditional use in Brazil with measurable scientific outcomes.

Funding not disclosed in abstract