ABSTRACT
Munim River is a small basin (15,918.04 km2, 320,000 inhabitants) in northeastern Brazil (Maranhão state), whose water quality has been threatened by pesticides, untreated domestic and industrial wastewater discharges, and solid waste disposal ( Presoti and Cutrim, 2011 ). These pollutants may bring several problems to the aquatic biota, such as mutagenic and carcinogenic effects ( Bolognesi and Hayashi, 2011 ) including risks to human health. Therefore, it is critical to understand the potential impacts of xenobiotics on this river basin, especially their genotoxic and mutagenic effects. We investigated the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of the Munim River waters to assess the impact of the presence of xenobiotics on the aquatic biota.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Cichlids/abnormalities , Cichlids/genetics , River Basins/analysis , DNA DamageABSTRACT
Dermacentor nitens tick is commonly found in the equine auditory canal, where it causes economic losses due to its direct damage, causing blood spoliation, stress, transmission of pathogens, and predisposition to myasis and secondary bacterial infection in its hosts. In this study we evaluated the effect of ethanolic extracts of Cerrado plants on biological parameters of engorged females of D. nitens. Ethanolic extracts were prepared from the leaves of Schinopsis brasiliensis, Piptadenia viridiflora, Ximenia americana, and Serjania lethalis at 25-150 mg mL-1. Groups of 10 engorged adult females were treated with these extracts and compared with a control containing distilled water and another control with organophosphate, using five replicates for each group. Compared with the control with water, S. lethalis and X. americana extracts at 100 and 150 mg mL-1 significantly inhibited the posture ability. Differently, extracts of S. brasiliensis and P. viridiflora were the most effective in inhibiting larval hatching. Extracts of X. americana and P. viridiflora showed effective inhibition of reproductive parameters of the tick, presenting dose-dependent effect with IC90 78.86 and 78.94 mg mL-1, respectively. Theses effective extracts contained low condensed tannin levels and their HPLC chromatograms revealed the presence of flavonoids. The efficacies of P. viridiflora and X. americana extracts were higher than 90% indicating that these extracts are promising as alternative agents for D. nitens control.
Subject(s)
Acaricides/isolation & purification , Ixodidae , Pest Control, Biological , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Anacardiaceae/chemistry , Animals , Fabaceae/chemistry , Female , Flavonoids/analysis , Flavonoids/chemistry , Flavonoids/isolation & purification , Horses/parasitology , Olacaceae/chemistry , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Sapindaceae/chemistryABSTRACT
The mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of triterpene betulinic acid {3b-3-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic} isolated from the roots of Scoparia dulcis (Scrophulariaceae) were analyzed using the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in the wings of Drosophila melanogaster. The mutagenic potential of betulinic acid was evaluated at 3 different concentrations (1.64, 3.28, and 6.57 mM). Antimutagenic activity evaluation was performed by co-treatment trials in which the flies received betulinic acid at 3 different concentrations in addition to 10 mM pro-mutagenic urethane. The results demonstrated that betulinic acid was not capable of causing DNA damage. However, the frequency of small single spots, large spots, and twin spots was significantly reduced. In the high bioactivation cross, betulinic acid was significantly active and exerted enhanced antimutagenic activity, possibly as a desmutagen.
Subject(s)
Antimutagenic Agents/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Scoparia/chemistry , Triterpenes/pharmacology , Animals , Antimutagenic Agents/chemistry , Drosophila melanogaster/drug effects , Drosophila melanogaster/genetics , Female , Male , Mutagenicity Tests/methods , Pentacyclic Triterpenes , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Triterpenes/chemistry , Betulinic AcidABSTRACT
Tephrosia cinerea L. (Pers.) is a tropical species that exhibits antileishmanial activity in Leishmania amazonensis promastigote cultures and is commonly used to treat infections, inflammations, ulcers, nervous conditions, and diarrhea. However, no studies have investigated its effects on genetic material. Therefore, we evaluated the genotoxic potential, antigenotoxic potential, and cytotoxic effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of T. cinerea leaves. In an in vitro genotoxicity study, human peripheral blood leukocytes were treated for 3, 24 (comet assay), or 48 h (cell death assay) with 22, 44, or 88 µg/mL plant extract. In the in vivo assay, Swiss mice were treated with 500, 1000, or 2000 mg extract/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection and were evaluated 24 h later. Antigenotoxicity was investigated in pre- and post-treatment assays in which the animals received the plant extract (2000 mg/kg) 24 h before or after receiving cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg), respectively. The extract had no genotoxic effects in the in vitro or in vivo assays. However, the extract reduced apoptotic cell death and induced necrotic cell death at concentrations that presented leishmanicidal activity in vitro. The extract also had an antigenotoxic effect, reducing the levels of genomic damage that were caused by cyclophosphamide in Swiss mice by more than 80%.
Subject(s)
Cyclophosphamide/toxicity , DNA Damage/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Tephrosia/chemistry , Animals , Antiprotozoal Agents/administration & dosage , Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Cells, Cultured , Comet Assay , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Humans , Injections, Intraperitoneal , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/cytology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/drug effects , Mice , Mutagens/toxicity , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Protective Agents/administration & dosage , Protective Agents/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Julocroton triqueter extracts have antileishmanial activity; however, the effect on genetic stability has not been studied. We evaluated genotoxic and cell death induction potential (in vitro and in vivo) of J. triqueter var. triqueter hydroalcoholic extracts, as well as their antigenotoxic potential in vivo. The in vitro genotoxic studies were performed using human leukocytes at four different concentrations. For the in vivo tests, Swiss mice were treated with 125, 250 or 500 mg/kg of extract injected intraperitoneally. Antigenotoxic effects of the extract were measured before and after cyclophosphamide treatment. An absence of genotoxic effects was observed both in vitro and in vivo. In the antigenotoxic studies, no significant difference was observed between the treatments and the positive control, indicating that the extracts did not protect against damage caused by cyclophosphamide. Hydroalcoholic extracts of J. triqueter did not provoke DNA damage at concentrations and doses normally used for antileishmanial treatment; however, they reduced apoptotic cell death and induced necrotic cell death.
Subject(s)
Antiprotozoal Agents/toxicity , Croton/chemistry , Leishmania/drug effects , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Animals , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemistry , Cell Death/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Comet Assay , Female , Humans , Leukocytes/drug effects , Leukocytes/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mutagenicity Tests , Plant Extracts/chemistryABSTRACT
Vinte e duas vacas primíparas e 26 multíparas da raça Holandesa foram distribuídas em três tratamentos em um delineamento inteiramente ao acaso. As dietas testadas consistiram de duas proporções forragem:concentrado, 55:45 (RCS) e 75:25 (RCSH), para silagem de milho comum, e 75:25 (BMR) para outra dieta baseada no híbrido bm3. Não houve interação entre tratamentos e ordem de lactação. A proporção silagem de alfafa:silagem de milho na porção forrageira da dieta foi de 47,7:53,3. A ingestão (kg/dia) de matéria seca e de proteína bruta foi superior para BMR e RCS (19,5 e 19,5; 3,41 e 3,42, respectivamente) em relação à ingestão para RCSH (17,6 e 3,14), enquanto que a de fibra em detergente neutro foi maior para BMR (6,61) e menor para RCSH e RCS (6,08 e 5,40, respectivamente). O consumo de fibra em detergente ácido (kg/dia) foi maior para BMR e RCSH (4,88 e 4,73) e menor para RCS (4,02). A produção de leite foi superior para o tratamento com maior proporção de concentrados (35,7kg/vaca/dia), seguida pelo tratamento BMR (34,1kg/vaca/dia) e finalmente por RCSH, com a menor produção (32,1kg/vaca/dia). O teor de gordura no leite foi superior nos tratamentos com alto conteúdo de forragem na dieta, enquanto que a porcentagem de proteína seguiu padrão oposto. O híbrido bm3, em dieta contendo alta proporção de forragem, foi eficiente em manter o nível de desempenho de vacas de alta produção em comparação à dietas com relações forragem:concentrado normal ou alta e baseadas em híbridos contendo diferente genética de milho.(AU)
Twenty two primiparous and 26 multiparous Holstein cows were distributed in three treatments in a completely randomized design. Diets were prepared to have 55:45 (RCS) and 75:25 (RCSH) forage to concentrate ratio, for normal corn silage, and 75:25 (BMR) for another diet based on the bm3 corn hybrid silage. No interaction was observed between treatment and parity. Alfalfa silage to corn silage ratio were 47.7:53.3 in the forage portion of the diets. Dry matter and crude protein intakes (kg/day)were higher for BMR and RCS (19.5 and 19.5; 3.41 and 3.42, respectively), as compared to the intakes for RCSH (17.6 and 3.14, respectively), while neutral detergent fiber had higher ingestion with BMR treatment (6.61) and lower with RCSH and RCS treatments (6.08 and 5.40, respectively). Acid detergent fiber was highly consumed (kg/day) for BMR and RCSH treatments (4.88 and 4.73, respectively). Milk production was higher for the treatment with high levels of concentrates (35.7kg/cow/day), followed by the BMR treatment (34.1kg/cow/day)and finally, by RCSH with lower production response (32.1kg/cow/day). Fat test in the milk was higher for high forage diets, while milk protein content followed the opposite pattern. Hybrid bm3, used in high forage diets, was efficient to maintain performance of high producing dairy cows, when compared to diets with normal or high forage diets based on different corn genetics.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Cattle , Milk , Dietary FiberABSTRACT
Vinte e duas vacas primíparas e 26 multíparas da raça Holandesa foram distribuídas em três tratamentos em um delineamento inteiramente ao acaso. As dietas testadas consistiram de duas proporçöes forragem:concentrado, 55:45 (RCS) e 75:25 (RCSH), para silagem de milho comum, e 75:25 (BMR) para outra dieta baseada no híbrido bm3. Näo houve interaçäo entre tratamentos e ordem de lactaçäo. A proporçäo silagem de alfafa:silagem de milho na porçäo forrageira da dieta foi de 47,7:53,3. A ingestäo (kg/dia) de matéria seca e de proteína bruta foi superior para BMR e RCS (19,5 e 19,5; 3,41 e 3,42, respectivamente) em relaçäo à ingestäo para RCSH (17,6 e 3,14), enquanto que a de fibra em detergente neutro foi maior para BMR (6,61) e menor para RCSH e RCS (6,08 e 5,40, respectivamente). O consumo de fibra em detergente ácido (kg/dia) foi maior para BMR e RCSH (4,88 e 4,73) e menor para RCS (4,02). A produçäo de leite foi superior para o tratamento com maior proporçäo de concentrados (35,7kg/vaca/dia), seguida pelo tratamento BMR (34,1kg/vaca/dia) e finalmente por RCSH, com a menor produçäo (32,1kg/vaca/dia). O teor de gordura no leite foi superior nos tratamentos com alto conteúdo de forragem na dieta, enquanto que a porcentagem de proteína seguiu padräo oposto. O híbrido bm3, em dieta contendo alta proporçäo de forragem, foi eficiente em manter o nível de desempenho de vacas de alta produçäo em comparaçäo à dietas com relaçöes forragem:concentrado normal ou alta e baseadas em híbridos contendo diferente genética de milho