Toxicological profile of the Hymenaea courbaril stem bark hydroalcoholic extract using in vitro bioassays and an alternative in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model.

Hymenaea genus has been used in folk medicine in Brazil, but few studies investigated its toxicity profile. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine toxicological parameters of Hymenaea courbaril stem bark hydroalcoholic extract by utilizing three cell lines including murine macrophages (RAW 264.7), mouse fibroblast cells (L929) and human lung fibroblast (MRC-5), as well as Salmonella/microsome assay, and in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model. The predominant detected phytoconstituents in the extract were coumarins, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins and saponins and by HPLC analysis, astilbin (AST) was found to be the main component. The DPPH assay demonstrated that H. courbaril hydroalcoholic extract exhibited potent antioxidant activity, with an IC50 of 3.12 µg/ml. The extract at concentrations of 400 and 800 µg/ml decreased cell viability 48 hr after treatment in L929 and MRC-5 cell lines. In the Raw 264.7 strain, just the highest concentration (800 µg/ml) lowered cell viability within 48 hr following exposure. The concentration of 100 µg/ml did not markedly affect cell viability in the trypan blue assay. In the alkaline comet assay the extract was found to be non-genotoxic. In the Ames test, the extract exhibited low mutagenic potential without metabolic activation, since only the highest concentrations produced an effect. H. courbaril extract only affected the survival of C. elegans at concentrations of 800 and 1600 µl/ml. These findings demonstrate that H. courbaril extract appears to exert low toxicity as evidenced in vitro and mutagenicity assays; however, the biological relevance of the response of C. elegans survival to safety assessments needs further studies.

Tolerance of Hymenaea courbaril L. to glyphosate.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of the glyphosate on Hymenaea courbaril L. A randomized block design with five replications was implemented. Each experimental unit was composed of one plant in a 5 L container. The treatments were 0 "control"; 96; 240; 480; and 960 g ha-1 "corresponding to 10, 25, 50, and 100% of the commercial dose of glyphosate recommended for Caryocar brasiliense crop, respectively". The evaluations were performed at 24 h and 60 days after application. Visual and anatomical evaluations did not change regardless of the dose, while the histochemical evaluation showed an accumulation of starch grains in leaf tissues. There was an increase in the photosynthetic rate, in the electron transport rate, and in the effective quantum yield of photosystem II at 24 h after application. At 60 days after the application of the treatments, the photosynthetic rate showed a slight decrease and the transpiratory rate showed quadratic behavior. An increase in plant height was observed up to the dose of 480 g ha-1, a linear increase in stem diameter and a decrease in the number of leaves with increasing glyphosate doses. These results show that the cuticle protected the plant, and that the little absorbed glyphosate increased photosynthesis and transpiration to favor the plants. We can conclude that the H. courbaril species is able to survive after contact with glyphosate during the evaluated time, with no visual and/or anatomical damage, showing increases in growth and physiological characteristics for the tested doses.

Diazotrophic bacteria improve Hymenaea courbaril seedlings growth and survival in iron mine tailings.

One of the largest accidents with mine tailings happened in Brazil in 2015, with the rupture of the Fundão dam, and the physical characteristics of these tailings make it difficult to recover degraded areas. Hymenaea courbaril is a tree species native to Brazil that has low nutritional and water requirements, besides its capacity for survival in contaminated environments. In this study we hypothesized that inoculation with diazotrophs would improve the growth and physiology of H. courbaril in tailings, favoring the reforestation process aiming the recovery of the accident site. Every 20 days for 60 days, we investigated the morphophysiology of H. courbaril grown in iron mine tailings or soil, with the addition of nitrate (N-positive control), non-inoculation (negative control) or inoculation with native diazotrophic bacteria previously isolated from the tailings (UNIFENAS100-569; UNIFENAS100-654 and UNIFENAS100-638). We found that H. courbaril has survival capacity under mine tailings, with no growth alteration in the tailings, although there were signs of reduced ability for photoprotective responses. Inoculation with diazotrophic bacteria improved physiological aspects of H. courbaril and strain UNIFENAS100-638 was the most effective in favoring total growth of plants, net photosynthetic rate and root morphology under mine tailings. The survival capacity and growth of H. courbaril indicates the possibility of its use for reforestation in areas degraded by mine tailings. Further studies are necessary in field conditions and with a larger experimental period to more thoroughly understand H. courbaril tolerance.

Arthropods in modern resins reveal if amber accurately recorded forest arthropod communities.

Amber is an organic multicompound derivative from the polymerization of resin of diverse higher plants. Compared with other modes of fossil preservation, amber records the anatomy of and ecological interactions between ancient soft-bodied organisms with exceptional fidelity. However, it is currently suggested that ambers do not accurately record the composition of arthropod forest paleocommunities, due to crucial taphonomic biases. We evaluated the effects of taphonomic processes on arthropod entrapment by resin from the plant Hymenaea, one of the most important resin-producing trees and a producer of tropical Cenozoic ambers and Anthropocene (or subfossil) resins. We statistically compared natural entrapment by Hymenaea verrucosa tree resin with the ensemble of arthropods trapped by standardized entomological traps around the same tree species. Our results demonstrate that assemblages in resin are more similar to those from sticky traps than from malaise traps, providing an accurate representation of the arthropod fauna living in or near the resiniferous tree, but not of entire arthropod forest communities. Particularly, arthropod groups such as Lepidoptera, Collembola, and some Diptera are underrepresented in resins. However, resin assemblages differed slightly from sticky traps, perhaps because chemical compounds in the resins attract or repel specific insect groups. Ground-dwelling or flying arthropods that use the tree-trunk habitat for feeding or reproduction are also well represented in the resin assemblages, implying that fossil inclusions in amber can reveal fundamental information about biology of the past. These biases have implications for the paleoecological interpretation of the fossil record, principally of Cenozoic amber with angiosperm origin.

Rethinking the pollination syndromes in Hymenaea (Leguminosae): the role of anthesis in the diversification.

Floral traits associated with functional groups of pollinators have been largely employed to understand mechanisms of floral diversification. Hymenaea is a monophyletic legume genus widely recognized to being bat-pollinated, with nocturnal anthesis and copious nectar. The most of species has short-paniculate inflorescences, white and robust flowers, congruent with a bat-pollination syndrome. However, other Hymenaea species show a different floral pattern (e.g., long-paniculate inflorescences and smaller flowers) which we report here as being bird pollinated. We examined the floral traits and visitors of Hymenaea oblongifolia var. latifolia and identified evolutionary shifts in floral traits associated with potential pollinators of Hymenaea species. Floral traits of H. oblongifolia var. latifolia differ from those expected for bat-pollinated flowers in species of sect. Hymenaea, and we observed hummingbirds collecting nectar legitimately. Our phylogenetic analysis did not support the monophyly of the taxonomic sections and suggests that bat pollination is ancestral in Hymenaea, with bird pollination evolving later. The transition coupling with shifts in the timing of anthesis and other floral traits. Pollinator-mediated evolutionary divergence hypothesis partially explains the Hymenaea diversification in the Neotropics. It is congruent with those species shifting from traits linked traditionally to bat pollination to hummingbird pollination.

Caryophyllene Oxide, the Active Compound Isolated from Leaves of Hymenaea courbaril L. (Fabaceae) with Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects on PC-3 Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Cell Line.

Cancer treatment frequently carries side effects, therefore, the search for new selective and effective molecules is indispensable. Hymenaea courbaril L. has been used in traditional medicine in South America to treat several diseases, including prostate cancer. Leaves' extracts from different polarities were evaluated using the 3-(4,5-methyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay to determine the cytotoxicity in prostate p53-null cells, followed by bio-guided fractionations to obtain the most cytotoxic fraction considering the selectivity index. The most cytotoxic fraction was analyzed by GC/MS to identify the active compounds. The majority compound, caryophyllene oxide, induced early and late apoptosis, depolarized the mitochondrial membrane, leading to several morphological changes and shifts in apoptotic proteins, and caspases were evidenced. Depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane releases the pro-apoptotic protein Bax from Bcl-xL. The apoptosis process is caspase-7 activation-dependent. Caryophyllene oxide is a safe anti-proliferative agent against PC-3 cells, inducing apoptosis with low toxicity towards normal cells.

Genetic variability and effective population size in Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Fabaceae) germplasm collection: tools for breeding programs and genetic conservation.

The conservation of plant genetic resources is essential for breeding programs. Regarding the native species of the Brazilian Cerrado biome, many studies have demonstrated their high potential for use in both medicines and foods. Hymenaea stigonocarpa, a tree with wide occurrence in the Cerrado, has economic importance, and due its extractive use, the establishment of a breeding program is relevant for sustainable use and conservation. Thus, the first germplasm collection of the species was installed at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG). To know the magnitude of genetic variability and how it was distributed in the collection, 353 individuals, distributed in 119 families from 24 subpopulations collected in the Cerrado biome, were genotyped using capillary electrophoresis. Nine pairs of microsatellite markers were genotyped. The UFG germplasm collection showed a high level of genetic diversity (mean [Formula: see text] = 0.554) at the evaluated loci. By Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA), a significant genetic structure was detected (θP = 0.152, p < 0.01), which was expected since the subpopulations that originated the germplasm collection were collected in geographically distant locations. In addition, the germplasm collection had a population effective size of 54.9 and presented an allelic representation of 79.89% compared to 32 natural subpopulations. These results demonstrate that the germplasm collection preserves a high genetic diversity of H. stigonocarpa with a population effective size considered sufficient for the conduction of a breeding program.

Impact of temperature on the growth of a Neotropical tree species (Hymenaea courbaril, Fabaceae) at its southern distribution limit.

Widely distributed tree species usually face different growth conditions across gradients of climate variables. Hymenaea courbaril inhabits most of Neotropical lowlands, where its growth is limited by low precipitation under seasonal precipitation regimes. However, it is still unclear what are the drivers of growth variability at its distribution limits, where populations are most vulnerable to climate change. We evaluated the role of precipitation and temperature variability on the growth rate of two populations of H. courbaril at the southern limits of its occurrence. Sampling sites comprise two semi-deciduous forest fragments with weathered and chemically poor soils, similar temperature conditions, only differing in size and in precipitation regime. To achieve that goal, we built two tree-ring chronologies using standard dendrochronological methods, one with 21 trees (37 radii) and the other one with 13 trees (24 radii). First, we evaluated if site conditions would affect average growth patterns, and then, we tested the climate-growth relationships and the teleconnections with the Equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature (SST). The results show that trees display similar average growth rates throughout life without evidence of influence from differing fragment sizes. Nonetheless, precipitation positively influences annual growth in the drier site, while it has a negative effect on growth in the wetter site. In contrast to previous studies, temperature has a stronger influence than precipitation on the growth of these trees. Monthly, seasonal, and annual mean temperatures showed a negative influence on trees growth. The variability of the regional temperature and, consequently, of the growth rate of the trees is partially dependent on the SST of the Equatorial Pacific. In conclusion, this study shows that temperature is a key limiting growth factor for this species at its southern distribution limits and periods with warmer temperature will likely reduce annual growth rate.

Genotoxicity, anti-melanoma and antioxidant activities of Hymenaea courbaril L. seed extract.

Hymenaea courbaril has been used to treat different diseases, although its properties are yet to be scientifically validated. The objective of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity and antioxidant potentials of hydroethanolic extract from H. courbaril seeds. Therefore, for the cytotoxicity test an anti-melanoma assay was performed in B16F10 strain cells. The genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity was evaluated in bone marrow cells (Permit number: 002/2010) of mice, the antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH test and the total flavonoid content was also determined. The hydroethanolic extract showed antigenotoxic effect and antioxidant activity. It was verified that total flavonoid content was 442.25±18.03 mg RE/g dry extract. HPLC-PAD chromatogram revealed presence of flavones as majority compound in evaluated extract. The results allowed us to also infer that the hydroethanolic extract from seeds shows cytotoxic activity against B16F10 melanoma cells line and it has dose-and-time-dependency.

Evaluation of Level of Essential Elements and Toxic Metal in the Medicinal Plant Hymenaea martiana Hayne (Jatobá) Used by Mid-West Population of Brazil.

Hymenaea martiana Hayne belongs to the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae) and presents the popular name of jatobá. It is a tree that demonstrates medicinal purposes and represents a food source in Brazil. The potential contribution of each species to recommended nutrient intakes (DRI) and Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) for children and adults were calculated. A comparison between the quantified contents of micro- and macronutrients Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, and Zn in leaves tea and tea of the bark of this plant was made with the recommendation of FDA and ANVISA. General safety regarding metal content (Na, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, and Ni) and nonmetal (P) was assured as none of them exceed the safety limit of the daily intake. However, the content of Mn observed in the teas of H. martiana Hayne is above the UL for tolerable intake level for children aged 1-6 years. There are no limits established for the UL of Cr and S for children and adults. The data on quantification of mineral concentration in the species Hymenaea martiana Hayne obtained can serve as a tool to decide the dosage of preparations from this plant used for medicinal purposes.

Assessing the Ability of Chloroplast and Nuclear DNA Gene Markers to Verify the Geographic Origin of Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril L.) Timber.

Deforestation-reinforced by illegal logging-is a serious problem in many tropical regions and causes pervasive environmental and economic damage. Existing laws that intend to reduce illegal logging need efficient, fraud resistant control methods. We developed a genetic reference database for Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril), an important, high value timber species from the Neotropics. The data set can be used for controls on declarations of wood origin. Samples from 308 Hymenaea trees from 12 locations in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and French Guiana have been collected and genotyped on 10 nuclear microsatellites (nSSRs), 13 chloroplast SNPs (cpSNP), and 1 chloroplast indel marker. The chloroplast gene markers have been developed using Illumina DNA sequencing. Bayesian cluster analysis divided the individuals based on the nSSRs into 8 genetic groups. Using self-assignment tests, the power of the genetic reference database to judge on declarations on the location has been tested for 3 different assignment methods. We observed a strong genetic differentiation among locations leading to high and reliable self-assignment rates for the locations between 50% to 100% (average of 88%). Although all 3 assignment methods came up with similar mean self-assignment rates, there were differences for some locations linked to the level of genetic diversity, differentiation, and heterozygosity. Our results show that the nuclear and chloroplast gene markers are effective to be used for a genetic certification system and can provide national and international authorities with a robust tool to confirm legality of timber.

Temporal dominance of sensations and preferences of Brazilians and Slovakians: A cross-cultural study of cachaças stored with woods from the Amazon rainforest.

BACKGROUND: Brazilians and Slovakians evaluated the temporal profile and the acceptability of cachaça stored with different woods (Cumarurana (CM), Jatobá (JT) and, Louro-vermelho (LV), which are found in the Amazon rainforest, and also oak), with the aim of performing a cross-cultural comparison of the dynamic profile of the attributes perceived in the cachaças and the sensorial acceptance of the samples. RESULTS: Important differences were observed between the temporal sensorial profiles generated by the two groups and their preferences. Brazilians preferred cachaças stored with the traditional wood, oak, followed by those stored with JT and CM. In contrast, Slovakians preferred cachaças stored with JT, followed by those stored with LV and oak. For both countries, the dominance of wood flavor and vanilla attributes at the end of the analysis time was positively associated with acceptance, while the dominance of off-flavors and the wood flavor attribute at the beginning of the analysis time was negatively associated with acceptance for Brazilians and Slovakians, respectively. CONCLUSION: Brazilians preferred cachaça stored with oak wood, and Slovakians preferred cachaça stored with JT wood, with acceptability being strongly associated with the dominance of wood flavor and vanilla attributes at the end of the evaluation time. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preparation of biosorbents from the Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) fruit shell for removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solution.

In this study, the biosorption properties of Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) fruit shell for removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions, and its potential as a low-cost biosorbent for water treatment, were investigated. The Jatoba fruit shell (JBin) was subjected to different treatments with heated water (JBH2O) and sodium hydroxide (JBNaOH) to modify its surfaces and improve its adsorption properties. The chemical modification of the surfaces of the resulting materials was confirmed by analyzing the compositions and structural features of the raw material and the chemically treated materials using SEM, FTIR, 13C NMR, and pHpzc. The ability of the biosorbents to remove the metal ions was investigated with batch adsorption procedures. The adsorption data were then examined in detail by applying adsorption models of Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich. The results showed that the experimental data were best described by the Langmuir model for the Pb-JBin and Cd-JBNaOH systems, the Freundlich model for the Pb-JBH2O and Pb-JBNaOH systems, and the Dubinin-Radushkevich model for Cd-JBin and Cd-JBH2O systems. The maximum adsorption capacities of JBNaOH obtained using the Langmuir model reached values of 30.27 and 48.75 mg g-1 for Cd(II) and Pb(II), respectively. The adsorption kinetic studies showed that the pseudo-second-order model was the best fitted to the experimental data, and adsorptions for Pb-JBH2O and Cd-JBH2O are controlled by intraparticle diffusion mechanism.

First isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans genotype VNI MAT-alpha from wood inside hollow trunks of Hymenaea courbaril.

Cryptococcal infection is transmitted by the inhalation of Cryptococcus spp. propagules. Information about the Cryptococcus species inhabiting plants might be clinically relevant due to the epidemiological role of these habitats as possible sources of human infection. The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge about the environmental occurrence of cryptococcosis agents. Hollow tree vegetal debris of nine plant species was sampled quarterly over a 12-month period. Melanized colonies were screened for Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii by biochemical tests, followed by URA5-RFLP molecular analysis, M13 fingerprinting assays, and mating-typing with the specific a and α primers. The susceptibility to fluconazole of all of the confirmed species colonies was determined using the AFST-EUCAST broth dilution method. We found that the typical Brazilian flora tree Hymenaea courbaril yielded a high cryptococcal burden (median, 10(2) CFU/g) during the summer, autumn and winter seasons. C. neoformans VNI molecular type MAT alpha was identified in all of the samples. The fingerprinting analyses showed great molecular variability with no correlation with the susceptibility profile to fluconazole (MIC range 4 to ≥64 mg/l). To our knowledge, this study is the first describing the association between C. neoformans and Hymenaea courbaril. These observations extend the known geographic distribution of and substantiate a new urban environmental niche for C. neoformans and also emphasize the genetic diversity of the environmental C. neoformans VNI molecular type isolates.

Structure and Absolute Configuration of Diterpenoids from Hymenaea stigonocarpa.

Chemical investigations of the ethanolic extracts from the flowers and leaves of Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne afforded one new ent-halimane diterpenoid, 18-hydroxy-ent-halima-1(10),13-(E)-dien-15-oic acid (1), together with five known compounds (2-6). The structural elucidation was performed by means of NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and MS analyses. Complete (1)H and (13)C NMR data assignments are also reported for labd-13-en-8ß-ol-15-oic (2) and labd-7,13-dien-15-oic (3) acids. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were established by comparison of experimental and calculated Raman optical activity spectra.

Antifungal and cytotoxicity activities of the fresh xylem sap of Hymenaea courbaril L. and its major constituent fisetin.

BACKGROUND: The great potential of plants as Hymenaea courbaril L (jatoba) has not yet been throughly explored scientifically and therefore it is very important to investigate their pharmacological and toxicological activities to establish their real efficacy and safety. This study investigated the cytotoxicity of xylem sap of Hymenaea courbaril L and its bioactivity against the fungi Cryptococcus neoformans species complex and dermatophytes. METHODS: The fresh xylem sap of H. courbaril was filtered resulting in an insoluble brown color precipitate and was identified as fisetin. In the filtrate was identified the mixture of fisetinediol, fustin, 3-O-methyl-2,3-trans-fustin and taxifolin, which were evaluated by broth microdilution antifungal susceptibility testing against C. neoformans species complex and dermatophytes. The fresh xylem sap and fisetin were screened for cytotoxicity against the 3T3-A31 cells of Balb/c using neutral red uptake (NRU) assay. RESULTS: The fresh xylem sap and the fisetin showed higher in vitro activity than the filtrate. The xylem sap of H. courbaril inhibited the growth of dermatophytes and of C. neoformans with minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) < 256 µg/mL, while the fisetin showed MIC < 128 µg/mL for these fungi. Fisetin showed lower toxicity (IC50 = 158 µg/mL) than the fresh xylem sap (IC50 = 109 µg/mL). CONCLUSION: Naturally occurring fisetin can provide excellent starting points for clinical application and can certainly represent a therapeutic potential against fungal infections, because it showed in vitro antifungal activity and low toxicity on animal cells.

Antiproliferative action of aqueous extracts of Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. (Fabaceae) on the cell cycle of Allium cepa L.

In this study we evaluated the action of crude aqueous extracts obtained from rhytidome of Hymenaea stigonocarpa (jatobá-do-cerrado) on Allium cepa meristematic root cells in three concentrations: 0.082, 0.164, 0.328g/mL, at exposure times of 24 and 48 h. The slides were prepared by the crushing technique, and cells analyzed throughout the cell cycle, totaling 5000 for each control group and concentration. It was found that all three concentrations, including the lowest which is considered ideal for use, in all exposure times, had significant antiproliferative action on the cell cycle of this test system. For cells under division, we observed a high number of cells in prophase. Therefore, under the conditions studied H. stigonocarpa indicated to be cytotoxic.

Chemical prospection and antioxidant activity of Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) A. St. Hil. AND Hymenaea courbaril L.

The objective of this study was to conduct chemical analyses of bioactive compounds found in the bark and leaves of Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) A. St. Hil. and Hymenaea courbaril L. Chemical screening was performed to detect the presence of secondary metabolites. Quantification of the concentrations of phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and antioxidants was performed by ultraviolet spectrophotometry through recommended methodologies. Extracts of the leaves of Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) A. St. Hil. were found to have high concentrations of flobabénic tannins. Tannins, flavonoids, flavonols, flavonones, flavanonols, xanthones, steroids, and saponins were also found in bark extracts of the same species. The plant species Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) A. St. Hil. and Hymenaea courbaril L. showed potential for antioxidant activity and for use in the pharmacological and food industries.

Jatobá-do-cerrado (Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart.) pulp positively affects plasma and hepatic lipids and increases short-chain fatty acid production in hamsters fed a hypercholesterolemic diet.

This study aimed to assess the impact of jatobá pulp, in its fresh (FJ) and extruded (EJ) forms, on lipid metabolism and intestinal fermentation parameters in hamsters. In a 21-day experiment, we determined the parameters of the animal lipid metabolism and colonic production of short chain fatty acids in four different groups. Control (C), fresh pulp (FJ) and extruded pulp (EJ) were fed using hypercholesterolemic diets, and the reference (R) was fed using AIN93 meal. R and C diets contained cellulose, FJ and EJ were added by jatobá pulp as a fiber source. The results showed that FJ and EJ exhibited lower levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-c, non-HDL-c serum levels, liver lipids, and liver weight compared to C. The EJ had higher bile acid excretion in stool than the C. EJ and FJ exhibited lower excreted fiber compared to R and C, implying greater fermentation. Furthermore, the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the cecum of FJ and EJ animals exceeded that of the C. Acetic and propionic acids were more abundant in the FJ and EJ diets, with FJ producing more butyric acid than the other groups.In conclusion, jatobá pulp maintained at normal levels of total cholesterol, LDL and HDL-associated cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and serum triglycerides, while also reducing the accumulation of hepatic lipids. Jatobá also promoted SCFA formation and fermentation, making it a valuable ingredient for preventing chronic diseases.

Assessment of toxic, genotoxic, antigenotoxic, and recombinogenic activities of Hymenaea courbaril (Fabaceae) in Drosophila melanogaster and mice.

Hymenaea courbaril L., popularly known as jatobá, is a plant species that grows in the forests of South America. The species has been used for culinary purposes and in folk medicine to treat arthritis and inflammations. Due to the increasing use of this plant globally, the present study aimed to evaluate the toxic, genotoxic, recombinogenic, and antigenotoxic effects of H. courbaril sap (Hycs) using the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test and the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster. To evaluate the aneugenic and clastogenic activities revealed by the micronucleus test, the animals were treated with 3 doses of Hycs (5, 10, and 15 mL/kg body weight). To evaluate the antianeugenic and anticlastogenic activities, the animals were simultaneously treated with Hycs and mitomycin C (4 mg/kg body weight). To assess the mutagenic and recombinogenic activities using SMART, 3-day-old larvae derived from standard and high bioactivation crosses were treated with 3 doses of Hycs (3.0, 1.5, and 0.3 mL) for approximately 48 h. To evaluate antimutagenic and antirecombinogenic activities, larvae derived from both crosses were co-treated with 3 doses of Hycs (3.0, 1.5, and 0.3 mL) and doxorubicin (0.125 mg/ mL). The mouse bone marrow micronucleus test revealed that Hycs exhibited no cytotoxic, clastogenic and/or aneugenic effects, but did show anticytotoxic, anticlastogenic and/or antianeugenic activities. The SMART revealed no mutagenic or recombinogenic effects, but antimutagenic and antirecombinogenic activities were observed in somatic cells of D. melanogaster from both crosses.