Advantages of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model in solving contemporary problems of neurotoxicity, teratotoxicity and genotoxicity of xenobiotics

The zebrafish (Danio rerio), a small fish belonging to the Cyprinidae family, is one of the most popular animal models used in laboratory studies, including toxicology. It has many beneficial features, such as transparent body structure, easy and economical breeding, a large number of offspring and a short life cycle. In addition, the genome of the zebrafish shows a high homology to the human genome, which makes this fish an attractive research model. The article points to the contemporary challenges of toxicology in terms of neurotoxicity, teratotoxicity and genotoxicity, which can be analysed based on the results of studies carried out on the zebrafish model. The dynamic implementation of new factors, such as nanoparticles, e-cigarettes, new generations of cosmetics or a wide range of chemical enhancers into human living and working environments, can have serious consequences for the health of the general population and the ecosystem as a whole. The work presents the latest research results regarding, among others, neurotoxic effects of ethanol, teratotoxic and neurotoxic effects of e-cigarettes, teratotoxic, neurotoxic and genotoxic effects of selected nanoparticles and microplastics assessed in experiments using the zebrafish model. The characteristics of the micronucleus test and the comet test are also presented as the most frequently chosen methods for assessing the genotoxic effect of xenobiotics in studies on the Danio rerio model.The results of the studies underline the need for further analysis and monitoring of the effects of these substances, in particular harmful effects on living organisms, and for remedial measures to protect the environment. As we have tried to demonstrate in this article, one of the very convenient possibilities in this respect is the use of the striped zebrafish model. A particularly valuable premise in assessing the genotoxic effects of xenobiotics in this case is the above-mentioned high homology of the Danio rerio and human genomes

Development of a method for determination of ciprofloxacin in Lucilia sericata larvae with capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass detection.

Substancje pozyskiwane z owadów mogą być wykorzystywane w celach terapeutycznych ze względu na swoje różnorodne właściwości biologiczne i potencjalne korzyści zdrowotne. W niniejszej pracy poświęcono szczególną uwagę gatunkowi Lucilia sericata oraz korzyściom płynącym z zastosowania larwoterapii u pacjentów, u których w wyniku hospitalizacji, doszło do powstania odleżyn oraz innych trudno gojących się ran. Oprócz wykorzystania w terapii, larwy mogą stanowić przydatny materiał alternatywny, nie tylko w badaniach entomotoksykologicznych, w celu wykrywania substancji zażytych w dawkach toksycznych, ale również w dawkach terapeutycznych. W tym celu w niniejszej pracy opisano procedurę oznaczenia cyprofloksacyny w larwach Lucilia sericata, pozyskanych od pacjenta stosującego ten antybiotyk w trakcie larwoterapii, z zastosowaniem elektroforezy kapilarnej sprzężonej z detekcją masową. Tym samym, wykazano zdolność cyprofloksacyny do penetracji tkanek, co wiązało się z wykryciem antybiotyku w materiale larwalnym. Metoda została poddana optymalizacji, uwzględniając dobór napięcia, sposób kondycjonowania kapilary, objętość dozowanej próbki oraz tryb pracy detektora masowego. Wykazano również niepożądany wpływ związków organicznych na warunki rozdzielenia elektroforetycznego. Zoptymalizowana metoda oznaczania cyprofloksacyny z zastosowaniem elektroforezy kapilarnej w połączeniu z detekcją masową, pozwoliła na oznaczenie tego antybiotyku w larwach Lucilia sericata.Substances derived from insects can be used for therapeutic purposes due to their diverse biological properties and potential health benefits. In this paper, special attention is paid to the species Lucilia sericata and the benefits of larval therapy in patients who, as a result of hospitalization, have developed pressure ulcers and other difficult-to-heal wounds. In addition to therapeutic uses, larvae can be a useful alternative material, not only for entomotoxicological studies to detect substances ingested at toxic doses, but also at therapeutic doses. The present work describes a procedure for assaying ciprofloxacin in Lucilia sericata larvae obtained from a patient using this antibiotic during larval therapy, using capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass detection. Thus, ciprofloxacin has been shown to penetrate tissues, which was associated with the detection of antibiotic in larval material. The method has been optimized, taking into account the voltage selection, the method of conditioning the capillary, the volume of the dosed sample and the mode of operation of the mass detector. Undesirable effects of organic compounds on electrophoretic separation conditions have also been shown. An optimised method for the determination of ciprofloxacin using capillary electrophoresis in combination with mass detection allowed the determination of the antibiotic in in the larvae of Lucilia sericata