Antitumor and antibacterial activity of metabolites of endophytic Colletotrichum siamense isolated from coffee (Coffea arabica L. cv IAPAR-59).

Endophytic fungi produce a range of known metabolites and several others, not yet explored, which present important biological activities from the pharmaceutical and industrial perspective. Several studies have reported the diversity of endophytes in Coffea arabica plants, although few have been described in organic cultures. In the current paper, we describe the chemical profile of specialized metabolites in the ethyl acetate phase in a strain of the endophytic fungus Colletotrichum siamense associated with coffee (Coffea arabica L.) (Rubiaceae) and its potential against tumor cells and bacteria of medical and food importance. Cytotoxicity assays in tumor cells MCF-7 and HepG2/C3A were performed by MTT and microdilution in broth to evaluate the antibacterial action of metabolic extract. The antiproliferative assay showed promising results after 24 h of treatment, with 50% injunction concentrations for the two cell types. UHPLC-MS/MS analyses with an electrospray ionization source were used to analyze the extracts and identify compounds of species Colletotrichum siamense, which is still little explored as a source of active metabolites. Many of these compounds observed in the endophytic need to be chemically synthesized in industry, at high costs, while production by the fungus becomes a chemically and economically more viable alternative. Pyrocatechol, gentisyl alcohol, and alpha-linolenic acid, associated with different mechanisms of action against tumor cells, were detected among the main compounds. The extract of the endophytic fungus Colletotrichum siamense presented several compounds with pharmacological potential and antibacterial activity, corroborating its potential in biotechnological applications.

Nuclear and morpho-histopathological alterations in Astyanax altiparanae exposed to effluent from the process of anodizing aluminum.

Aluminum is a metal widely used from household utensils to civil construction. Anodizing aluminum is a procedure to form a thick layer of aluminum oxide on the surface in order to confer greater resistance to the material. This process generates an effluent with acidic pH and a high concentration of sulfate. Alternatives for the treatment of this effluent involve the use of the chemical precipitation technique, which can be used with salts of barium chloride (BaCl2), calcium chloride (CaCl2), and aluminum hydroxide with commercial limestone (Cc/Al (OH)3). The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of effluents on Astyanax altiparanae (Lambari), by means of somatic, genetic, morphological, and histological markers after 24 and 96 h of exposure. After measuring the biometric data of the animals and the weight of the liver, we found that the condition factor (K) of individuals exposed to the effluent CaCl2 showed a slight reduction in growth after 96 h while the hepatosomatic index (HSI) remained unchanged for all effluents in both sampling times. The micronucleus test with erythrocytes indicated that the raw effluent (E2) induced nuclear changes after 24 h; however, this effect did not persist after 96 h of exposure. Branchial arches were collected and according to Bernet's index for histopathology, all effluents except Cc/Al (OH)3, induced significant changes in the gills. In accordance with the index of Poleksic and Mitrovic-Tutundzic, CaCl2 was the only effluent to compromise branchial operation. The branchial morphology investigated by SEM showed that the raw effluent (E1) induced injuries and compromised gill functions. This study reinforces the importance of biological tests for the assessment and validation of physical chemicals used and effluent treatment techniques as well as the development and application of biological parameters before the wastewater release, whether in a raw state or a treated one.

Evaluation of textile laundry effluents and their cytotoxic effects on Allium cepa.

Industrial laundries have water as one of their main inputs and they release effluents in large amounts, with a high polluting load, which are usually discarded into the environment, or they are insufficiently treated for release into the neighboring water bodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiencies of the biological treatments in an industrial textile laundry and their environmental impact on the surface waters of the stream where the dump is usually made, by using cytotoxicity tests on the meristematic root cells of Allium cepa L. The results have shown, for the most part, that the treated effluents over a period of 24 h showed reductions in their mitotic index. The treatments on the raw effluents showed cytotoxic effects when compared to control, with cell division recoveries after 24 h in the waters. Cytotoxic effects were additionally observed in the stream waters, at a point before the dump, indicating that they received a pollutant load, before the effluent disposal site of the evaluated industrial laundry. Notably, the treatments that were being applied by the industrial laundry were effective throughout the processing, reducing the concentrations of the toxic substances. When considering the data presented, it is now understood that there is a constant need for the evaluation of industrial effluents, as well as for the waters of the streams and the rivers that receive these disposals, in order to preserve and maintain the quality of the waters, the organisms, and consequently, the ecosystems.