The disposal of industrial effluents strongly influences low-order streams, which makes them fragile ecosystems that can be impacted by contamination. In central Brazil, the Extrema River spring ...targets the dumping of pharmaceutical products from the surrounding industries. So, this work aimed to investigate the presence of antibiotics in Extrema River spring samples and the isolation of
Staphylococcus aureus
, a potential multidrug-resistant bacteria, verifying the antimicrobial resistance profile of these isolates. Three campaigns were carried out in different locals (P1–P3) between October and December 2021, in the dry and rainy seasons. The high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS) approach indicated the presence of sulfamethoxazole (≥ 1 ng/L), metronidazole (< 0.5 ng/L), and chloramphenicol (< 5 ng/L) in the water samples in November (rainy season).
S. aureus
was isolated in P1 (
n
= 128), P2 (
n
= 168), and P3 (
n
= 36), with greater resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (90%), clindamycin (70%), and gentamicin (60%). The presence of antibiotics in the Extrema River spring may cause
S. aureus
antibiotic resistance development. The presence of antibiotics and the high percentage of isolated multidrug-resistant
S. aureus
in the Extrema River spring cause concern and indicate the clandestine dumping of effluents from nearby pharmaceutical industries. Since preserving the springs of low-order streams is important for the environment and public health, we encourage monitoring the wastewater from Extrema River’s nearby pharmaceutical industries and preserving the spring of this river.
ABSTRACT Environmental changes directly influence quality of life, and environmental protection laws arise to ensure the maintenance of ecological balance. Aquatic environments have been contaminated ...by substances of anthropic origin, which are called effluents. Improper disposal of effluents has adverse effects on the environment and human health. In Brazilian legislation, the resolutions of the National Council for the Environment (CONAMA) RE 357/2005 and RE 430/2011 address the use of indicator species to evaluate the effluents’ toxicity. Despite these, much still needs to be done to control and monitor the emission of effluents in Brazilian water resources. The objective of this work was to carry out a historical survey of the regulations on the disposal of effluents in Brazil and to show the differences in each state's regulations, highlighting the indicator species accepted in each regulation and their advantages and disadvantages. In this way, this review summarizes and organizes the information of the Brazilian legislation on the disposal of effluents and helps the researcher in the area to choose between the methodologies adopted for the analysis of their environmental samples. Despite the insertion of bioassays, it is evident that the current Brazilian legislation is permissive, requiring adaptations and definitions to increase adherence to the ecotoxicological monitoring of water resources by the States.
RESUMO As mudanças ambientais influenciam diretamente a qualidade de vida, e leis de proteção ambiental surgem para garantir a manutenção do equilíbrio ecológico. Os ambientes aquáticos têm sido contaminados por substâncias de origem antrópica, denominadas efluentes. O descarte inadequado de efluentes traz efeitos adversos ao meio ambiente e à saúde humana. Na legislação brasileira, as resoluções do Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente (CONAMA) RE 357/2005 e RE 430/2011 abordam o uso de espécies indicadoras para avaliar a toxicidade dos efluentes. Apesar destas, muito ainda precisa ser feito para controlar e monitorar a emissão de efluentes nos recursos hídricos brasileiros. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um levantamento histórico das regulamentações sobre o descarte de efluentes no Brasil e mostrar as diferenças nas regulamentações de cada estado, destacando as espécies indicadoras aceitas em cada regulamentação e suas vantagens e desvantagens. Dessa forma, esta revisão resume e organiza as informações da legislação brasileira sobre o descarte de efluentes e auxilia o pesquisador da área a escolher entre as metodologias adotadas para a análise de suas amostras ambientais. Apesar da inserção de bioensaios, fica evidente que a legislação brasileira atual é permissiva, exigindo adaptações e definições para aumentar a adesão ao monitoramento ecotoxicológico dos recursos hídricos pelos estados.
Pedunculagin (PD) and tellimagrandin-I (TL), isolated from Myrciaria cauliflora seeds and Eucaliptus microcorys leaves, respectively, have attracted great attention owing to their relevant biological ...activities, such as antitumor, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activities. This study investigated the angiogenic potential of PD and TL using a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Using the CAM assay, our results showed that both PD and TL promoted a significant increase in the number and caliber of blood vessels, the thickness of the CAM, and the presence of fibroblasts and inflammatory cells. Moreover, an increase of tumor necrosis factor-α and vascular endothelial growth factor was observed in the CAM treated with PD and TL, indicating the induction of angiogenic factors. Thus, the remarkable profile of PD and TL in inducing angiogenesis opens up new perspectives for their potential utilization in different therapeutic approaches involving neovascularization.
•Angiogenic activity of PD and TL were assed in vivo by CAM assay.•PD and TL stimulates inflammation.•PD and TL promoted an increase of new blood vessels.•PD and TL increased the levels of TNF-α and VEGF in CAM.
Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae), popularly known as “neem”, is used for the treatment of rheumatism, cancer, ulcers, diabetes, respiratory problems, among others. This species is present on ...six continents and contains more than 400 bioactive compounds. Practically all parts of the plant are used in the treatment of diseases. Although it is widely used, no study has evaluated the safety of this species throughout the gestational period in Wistar rats.
To evaluate the genotoxicity and the effect of treatment with dried extract of leaves of Azadirachta indica on maternal toxicity and fetal development.
The dried extract of leaves of A. indica was obtained by spray drying after percolation of the plant material in 30% ethanol (w/w). The total flavonoids and rutin contents of the extract were determined by spectrophotometric method and HPLC-DAD, respectively. Pregnant Wistar rats (n = 40) were divided into four groups (n = 10/group): one control and three groups treated with dried extract of leaves of A. indica at doses of 300, 600 or 1200 mg/kg. Treatments were carried out from gestational day (GD) 0–20. During gestation, clinical signs of toxicity, weight gain, feed and water consumption of the dams were evaluated. On GD 21, rats were euthanized and cardiac blood was collected. Liver, kidneys, lung, heart, uterus, ovaries and bone marrow were collected. Reproductive performance parameters, histopathological analysis, biochemistry and genotoxicity were evaluated. Fetuses were evaluated for external morphology, skeletal and visceral changes.
The total flavonoid content of the extract ranged from 2.64 to 3.01%, and the rutin content was 1.07%. There was no change in body mass gain, food and water consumption between the evaluated groups. There was also no difference between the groups in terms of biochemical parameters, reproductive performance, histopathological analysis of the mother's organs and genotoxicity. Supernumerary ossification sites of the sternum were observed, and other skeletal and visceral alterations were not significant.
The treatment did not induce maternal toxicity, it was neither embryotoxic nor fetotoxic. The extract was not potentially genotoxic, and at a dose of 1200 mg/kg, it caused changes in the ossification of the sternum.
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•Azadirachta indica leaves have been used in traditional medicine for centuries.•No study has evaluated its safety throughout the gestational period in Wistar rats.•Rutin is a major flavonoid of the dried leaf extract quantified by HPLC-DAD.•Treatment didn't induce maternal toxicity, fetotoxicity, and genotoxicity in Wistar rats.•Treatment with 1200 mg/kg caused changes in the ossification of the fetus sternum.
Citrus limettioides (Rutaceae), popularly known as “sweet lime” or “sweet lemon”, is rich in essential oil. Citrus sp. essential oils present a wide spectrum of biological activities, including ...insecticidal and larvicidal. In this sense, we aimed to investigate the larvicidal potential of Citrus limettioides peel essential oil on the main urban vector of dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika viruses Aedes aegypti. The chemical characterization of the material revealed a monoterpene-rich essential oil (mainly limonene – 48.28% – and linalool – 32.17%). The C. limettioides peel essential oil presented a good larvicidal activity on A. aegypti (LC50 = 18.14 µg mL−1). Moreover, the compounds linalyl acetate and isopropyl tiglate, identified in the investigated essential oil, presented a predicted insecticide activity on A. aegypti. Finally, the safety of the C. limettioides peel essential oil was demonstrated on RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. These results support the idea of using the C. limettioides peel essential oil to the development of an economically viable larvicidal product.
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•The C. limettioides peel essential oil presented a good larvicidal activity.•The essential oil is rich in monoterpenes, mainly limonene and linalool.•Linalyl acetate and isopropyl tiglate presented a predicted insecticide activity.•The essential oil is safe for murine macrophages.
Resumo Antioxidantes são substâncias naturais ou sintéticas que facilitam o retardo da oxidação por um ou mais mecanismos, como sequestrar radicais livres, inibir a peroxidação lipídica e complexar ...com metais, inibindo a destruição tecidual via oxidação. Antioxidantes são comumente usados na alimentação animal e na indústria alimentícia para prevenir a oxidação de produtos de origem animal. Além disso, os oxidantes naturais estão sendo cada vez mais aplicados na reprodução animal, principalmente na preservação do sêmen. Nesse contexto, este trabalho teve como objetivo revisar a aplicação de antioxidantes naturais na reprodução animal. Observamos que os antioxidantes naturais foram geralmente adquiridos comercialmente (80,4%) e utilizados principalmente no resfriamento/congelamento de sêmen (72%) com resultados promissores (90%) em Sus scrofa (javali), Capra aegagrus hircus (cabra), Gallus gallus domesticus (galo) e Ovis aries (carneiro). No entanto, mais estudos devem ser realizados para ajudar a regular a dosagem de antioxidantes naturais para sua aplicação.
Abstract Antioxidants are natural or synthetic substances that delay oxidation through one or more mechanisms, such as scavenging free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and complexing with metals, inhibiting tissue destruction via oxidation. Antioxidants are commonly used in animal feed and the food industry to prevent the oxidation of animal-origin products. Moreover, natural oxidants are used increasingly in animal reproduction, especially for semen preservation. In this context, this study aimed to review the applications of natural antioxidants in animal reproduction. We observed that the bulk of the natural antioxidants, approximately 80.4%, were commercially acquired and used mainly for semen cooling/freezing (72%) with promising results (90%) in Sus scrofa (boar), Capra aegagrus hircus (goat), Gallus gallus domesticus (rooster), and Ovis aries (ram). However, further studies are needed to help determine the appropriate dosage of natural antioxidants for applications.
Meia Ponte River supplies water for two million people in Goiás State, Brazil. Despite its importance, the Meia Ponte River faces serious environmental problems such as the disposal of domestic and ...industrial effluents, what could impact the aquatic biota and the health of people who consumes its water. In this sense, here we aimed to evaluate the environmental quality and toxicity of surface water along the course of this river. Physicochemical analyses of water at Goiânia urban perimeter were higher than the limits of Brazil environmental regulations for fresh water. In relation to the diversity of species, phytoplankton classes associated to polluted environments were detected closer to urban perimeter. Allium cepa bioassay suggested that this river may contain substances with mitogenic activity. This result is in accordance with genotoxic analysis, because it was observed a significant increase in chromosomal aberrations. This data reveal the genotoxic potential of Meia Ponte River water. This genotoxicity represents a risk for aquatic biota and humans, once the genotoxic agents in water samples might cause the loss of DNA integrity, inducing damages and DNA breaks. In this context, the water utilization from Meia Ponte River without any treatment should be avoided and public policies need to be formulated and implemented to depollute this important river for Goiás State.
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