Occurrence of Deoxynivalenol and Ochratoxin A in Beers and Wines Commercialized in Paraguay.

Alcoholic beverages can be contaminated with mycotoxins. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is the most frequently detected mycotoxinin wine and is produced by several species of Aspergillus. This mycotoxin is nephrotoxic and carcinogenic. In beer, the most commonly identified mycotoxin is deoxynivalenol (DON). Ingestion of food contaminated with DON has been associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects. Despite the harmful effects of mycotoxins on health, there are no regulations regarding their limits in alcoholic beverages in Paraguay. Here we determine the presence of OTA and DON in wine and beer, respectively. Four commercial brands of wine and twenty-nine brands of craft and industrial beerwere tested by the Agra quant ELISA method. One brand of wine was positive for OTA and seven brands of beer (one of them craft) were positive for DON. The values found for both toxins are below the recommended maximum intake proposed by international standards. Giving the high consumption of these products in the country, regulations and monitoring systems mustbe established to check the maximum levels of mycotoxins allowed in alcoholic beverages.

Evaluación de los efectos mutagénicos/antimutagénicos de Luehea divaricata en ratones / Evaluation of the mutagenic / antimutagenic effects of Luehea divaricata in mice

La Luehea divaricata Mart. conocida popularmente en el Paraguay como "ka´aovetî o ka´aovetîpytâ", es una planta nativa de la región utilizada como fitoterápico. El objetivo de este trabajo fue el de investigar el efecto protector del extracto acuoso de las hojas de L. divaricata frente al quimioterápico ciclofosfamida, en médula ósea de ratones. Los animales fueron divididos en 4 grupos de 5 animales cada uno; el Grupo I, control negativo, que recibió 200 µL de agua, vía oral; el Grupo II, que recibió 200 µL del extracto acuoso de L. divaricata; el Grupo III, que recibió 200 µL del extracto acuoso de L. divaricata y ciclofosfamida, 50 mg/Kg de peso de animal y el Grupo IV, fue el control positivo, recibió ciclofosfamida 50mg/Kg/peso de animal. El extracto acuoso de L. divaricata fue administrado por vía oral y el tratamiento se administró por 48h, la ciclofosfamida fue administrada por vía intraperitoneal 24h antes del sacrifico del animal .Se extrajo la médula ósea de los animales y se realizó el ensayo de micronúcleo en todas las muestras. Los resultados indicaron que el extracto acuoso de L. divaricata no presentó actividad mutagénica, cuando combinado con el agente mutagénico induce una reducción de hasta 49% en la frecuencia de micronúcleos, al ser comparado con el tratamiento con ciclofosfamida, sugiriendo un potencial efecto protector frente a agentes tóxicos.

The Luehea divaricata Mart. is a plant native, popularly known in Paraguay as "ovetîka'a”or “ovetîka'aPytá" of the region used as herbal medicines. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the protective effect of aqueous extract from the leaves of L. divaricata versuscyclophosphamide chemotherapy. The animals were divided in 4 groups and each grouphave 5 animals, Group I, negative control, which received 200 uL of water, orally; Group II,which received 200 uL of aqueous extract of L. divaricata; Group III, which received 200 uLof the aqueous extract of L. divaricata and cyclophosphamide, 50 mg / kg animal weight;Group IV, positive control, cyclophosphamide received 50mg / kg / animal weight. Theaqueous extract of L. divaricata was orally administered and the treatment wasadministered for 48 hs, cyclophosphamide was administered intraperitoneal and had 24hours of treatment. Bone marrow of the animals is removed and micronucleus assay wasperformed on all samples. The results indicated that aqueous extract of L. divaricata showedno mutagenic activity and when combined with the mutagen agent induces a reduction ofup to 41% in the frequency of micronucleus, when compared to treatment withcyclophosphamide, suggesting a potential protective effect against toxic agents.

Minerals content of Paraguayan yerba mate (llex paraguariensis SH) / Contenido de minerales en yerba mate paraguaya (llex paraguariensis SH)

Minerals content (Fe,Ca,Mn,Mg,Na,K,Zn, and Cu) of the leaves of Paraguayan yerba mate (llex paraguariensis, SH) as of commercial products has determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Considerable amounts of iron and calcium and remarkbly high content of magnesium and potassium have been found both in the leaves and in the commercial products. Highly significant difference between the Fe content of the leaves and that of the commercial products has been found. Also, highly significant diference has been found between the and Ca content of the higher quality-greater sale reputed commercial products and that of the lower quality-smaller sale reputed ones. Seasonal and soil linked variations are also presented. The nutritional and quality control significance of these finding for the MERCOSUR (Southern South American Economical Gommunity) are discussed