Sigmoidal kinetics of anthocyanin accumulation during fruit ripening: A comparison between açai fruits (Euterpe oleracea) and other anthocyanin-rich fruits

Anthocyanins are natural colorants with increasing interest. Euterpe oleracea fruits (EOF) (açai) are an interesting phenolic compounds source. They are extremely rich in two anthocyanins: cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside. In this study, the anthocyanin content was evaluated in EOF during their ripening, allowing to characterize very important parameters for the post-harvest industry: their maximum accumulation rate, per day, (Δy), their maximum concentration in fruits (CMAX) and the corresponding maturity class (S). Samples of 12 racemes from three plantations were collected twice a month during their ripening process. The maturity class of EOF was recorded at each harvesting and their anthocyanin content was determined by an HPLC method after solvent extraction. Anthocyanin accumulation was described (p < 0.05) by sigmoidal equations and Δy, CMAX and S values were determined. The Δy of EOF reached 35.63 mg kg*−1 fruits day*−1, whereas CMAX reached 1443 mg kg*−1 fruits. On average, in the beginning of maturation, both anthocyanins were present in similar proportions. However, in the last maturity stages, cyanidin-3-glucoside became less abundant than cyanidin-3-rutinoside. On the basis of the data available on strawberries, grapes, pomegranates and lychees, it was possible to verify that the sigmoidal mathematical model of anthocyanin accumulation is transposable

Antioxidant Capacity And Pharmacologic Screening Of Crude Extracts Of Byrsonima Crassifolia And Inga Edulis Leaves [capacidade Antioxidante E Triagem Farmacológica De Extratos Brutos De Folhas De Byrsonima Crassifolia E De Inga Edulis]

In order to evaluate the effect of two Amazonian species on chronic diseases linked with the oxidative processes, we performed antioxidant capacity analyses (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity - ORAC and Folin-Ciocalteu - PT assays) and pharmacological effects in vitro (antiproliferative effect) and in vivo (antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, antiulcerogenic effects) for ethanolic extracts (65:35; v/v; ethanol: water) from Byrsonima crassifolia (BC) and Inga edulis (IE) leaves. Both BC and IE extracts showed high ORAC values (1,422 and 694 mmol of Trolox equivalent/g of dry leaf, respectively) and high PT contents (35.93 and 24.50 mg gallic acid equivalent g-1 dry leaf, respectively). The ORAC values had no correlation with PT, suggesting the presence of other chemical groups in the antioxidant activity value. The two extracts did not present significant antiproliferative activity on nine lines of human tumor cells, and cytotoxic effect was detected only at the highest concentration. The antinociceptive effect was investigated using the hot plate test, and IE extract presented a longer latency (P < 0.05) 30 and 60 min after oral administration. The antiinflammatory activity was only observed at the highest concentration, suggesting that the antinociceptive effect observed was not due to the antiinflammatory effect. The extracts of both species reduced the ulcerative lesions produced by ethanol up to 84% (P < 0.05), suggesting a relation with the antioxidant capacity. More studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of action involved on antiulcerative effects.421165172Bejar, E., Malone, M.H., Pharmacological and chemical screening of Byrsonima crassifolia, a medicinal tree from Mexico. Part I (1993) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 39, pp. 141-158Bighetti, A.E., Antonio, M.A., Kohn, L.K., Rehder, V.L.G., Foglio, M.A., Possentti, A., Vilela, L., Carvalho, J.E., Antiulcerogenic activity of a crude hydroalcoholic extract and coumarin isolated from Mikania laevigata Schultz Bip (2005) Phytomedicine, 12, pp. 72-77Braggio, M.M., Lima, M.E.L., Veasey, E.A., Haraguchi, M., Pharmacological activities of leaves from Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers (2002) Arquivos Do Instituto De Biologia, 69, pp. 49-53. , in Portuguese, with abstract in EnglishCarvalho, J.E., Antiulcerogenic and anticancer activities of the natural and synthetic products (2006) Multiciência, 7, pp. 1-18. , in PortugueseDias, A.L.S., Souza, J.N.S., Rogez, H., Purification of phenolic compounds from Inga edulis leaves using solid-phase extraction: Major compounds quantification and antioxidant capacity evaluation (2010) Química Nova, 33, pp. 38-42. , in Portuguese, with abstract in EnglishDias, P.C., Foglio, M.A., Possenti, A., Carvalho, J.E., Antiulcerogenic activity of crude hydroalcoholic extract of Rosmarinus officinalis L (2000) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 69, pp. 57-62Fernandes, A.T., (2002) Pharmacology Activity of Extracts Obtained From Plathymenia Reticulata BENT H. (Leguminosae), p. 143. , Dissertação de Mestrado em Clínica Médica, Unicamp-FCM, in PortugueseFerguson, D., Philpott, M., Waeg, G., Striegl, G., Jurgens, G., Dietary cancer and prevention using antimutagens (2004) Toxicology, 198 (1-3), pp. 147-159Heinrich, M., Rimpler, H., Barrera, N., Indigenous phytotherapy of gastrointestinal disorders in a lowland Mixe community (Oaxaca, Mexico): Ethnopharmacologic evaluation (1992) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 36, pp. 63-80Maldini, M., Sosa, S., Montoro, P., Giangaspero, A., Balick, M.J., Pizza, C., della Loggia, R., Screening of the topical anti-inflammatory activity of the bark of Acacia cornigera Willdenow, Byrsonima crassifolia Kunth, Sweetia panamensis Yakovlev and the leaves of Sphagneticola trilobata Hitchcock (2009) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 122, pp. 430-433Martínez-Vásquez, M., González-Esquinica, A.R., Cazares Luna, M., Moreno Gutiérrez, M.N., Garcia Argáez, A.N., Antimicrobial activity of Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H.B.K (1999) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 66, pp. 79-82Middleton, E., Kandaswami, C., Theoharides, T.C., The effects of plant flavonoids on mammalian cells: Implication for inflammation, heart disease, and cancer (2000) Pharmacology Reviews, 52, pp. 673-751Monks, A., Scudiero, D., Skehan, P., Shoemaker, R., Paull, K., Vistica, D., Hose, C., Boyd, M., Feasibility of a high-flux anticancer drug screen using a diverse panel of cultured human tumor cell lines (1991) Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 83, pp. 757-766Pacheco, M.T.B., Bighetti, E., Antônio, M., Carvalho, J.E., Rosaneli, C.F., Sgarbieri, V.C., Effects of a whey protein concentrate and it's peptides in the protection of ulcerative lesions at rat gastric mucosa (2006) Revista De Nutrição, 19, pp. 47-55. , in Portuguese, with abstract in EnglishPeraza-Sánchez, S.R., Cen-Pacheco, F., Noh-Chimal, A., May-Pat, F., Simá-Polanco, P., Dumonteil, E., García-Miss, M.R., Mut-Martín, M., Leishmanicidal evaluation of extracts from native plants of the Yucatan peninsula (2007) Fitoterapia, 78, pp. 315-318Rastrelli, L., de Tommasi, N., Berger, I., Caceres, A., Saravia, A., de Simone, F., Glycolipids from Byrsonima crassifolia (1997) Phytochemistry, 45, pp. 647-650Robert, A., Cytoprotection by prostaglandins (1979) Gastroenterology, 77, pp. 761-767Silva, E.M., Rogez, H., Larondelle, Y., Optimization of extraction of phenolics from Inga edulis leaves using response surface methodology (2007) Separation and Purification Technology, 55, pp. 381-387Silva, E.M., Souza, J.N.S., Rogez, H., Rees, J.F., Larondelle, Y., Antioxidant activities and polyphenolic contents of fifteen selected plant species from the Amazonian Region (2007) Food Chemistry, 101, pp. 1012-1018Silva, E.M., Silva, J.S., Pena, R.S., Rogez, H., A combined approach to optimize the drying process of flavonoid-rich leaves (Inga edulis) using experimental design and mathematical modelling (2011) Food and Bioproducts Processing, 89, pp. 39-46Souza, J.N.S., Silva, E.M., Loir, A., Rees, J.F., Rogez, R., Larondelle, Y., Antioxidant capacity of four polyphenol-rich Amazonian plant extracts: A correlation study using chemical and biological in vitro assays (2008) Food Chemistry, 106, pp. 331-339Souza, J.N.S., Silva, E.M., Silva, M.N., Arruda, M.S.P., Larondelle, Y., Rogez, H., Identification and antioxidant activity of several flavonoids of Inga edulis leaves (2007) Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 18, pp. 1276-1280Tubaro, A., Dri, P., Delbello, G., Zilli, C., Loggia, R.D., The cróton oil ear test revisited (1985) Agents and Actions, 17, pp. 347-349Winter, C.A., Risley, E.A., Nuss, G.W., (1962) Carregeenin Induced Edema In the Hind Paw of the Rat As An Assay For Antiinflamatory Drugs, 3, pp. 544-547. , Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and MedicineWoolfe, G., Macdonald, A.D., The evaluation of the analgesic action of pethidine hydrochloride (1944) Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 80, pp. 300-3007Yang, C.S., Landau, J.M., Huang, M.T., Newmark, H.L., Inhibition of carcinogenesis by dietary polyphenolic compounds (2001) Annual Review of Nutrition, 21, pp. 381-40

Characterization of Citrus tristeza virus isolates from grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) accessions of Citrus Active Germplasm Bank Caracterização de isolados do vírus da tristeza dos citros de acessos de pomelos (Citrus paradisi Macf.) do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Citros

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) isolates from 35 grapefruit accessions belonging to Citrus Active Germplasm Bank of the "Instituto Agronômico de Campinas" located at the "Centro APTA Citros Sylvio Moreira", Cordeirópolis, São Paulo state, Brazil, were characterized and evaluated through symptoms in the trees, biological indexing, immunological diagnosis with different monoclonal antibodies and SSCP analysis (single-strand conformation polymorphism) of the coat protein gene. Symptomatology indicated that, in general, the group of plants with smaller canopy volume and severe stem pitting differed significantly from the group that presented greater vegetative development and mild to moderate stem pitting. However, the isolates from most of the accessions induced mild reaction on Mexican lime. The serological evaluation through the DAS-ELISA using monoclonal antibodies did not reveal any association between virus titer in the plant tissue and symptoms. The reaction with different monoclonal antibodies and the distinct electrophoresis patterns obtained through SSCP showed that there is a high degree of diversity among the isolates that infect these grapefruit accessions. High complexity within the same isolate was also observed in the SSCP profiles. This finding indicates that the CTV isolates from these plants are a complex mixture of CTV haplotypes. Similar SSCP banding patterns were observed among some plants with strong stem pitting symptoms, and among some plants with weak or moderate stem pitting symptoms.<br>Isolados do vírus da tristeza dos citros (CTV) de 35 acessos de pomelos que fazem parte do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Citros, localizado no Centro APTA Citros Sylvio Moreira, Cordeirópolis, São Paulo, Brasil, pertencente ao Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC), foram caracterizados através dos sintomas observados nas árvores, indexação biológica, diagnóstico imunológico e análise SSCP (polimorfismo de conformação de fita simples) do gene da proteína do capsídeo. O grupo de plantas que, em geral, apresentou menor volume de copa e severo sintoma de canelura diferenciou-se significativamente do grupo com maior desenvolvimento vegetativo e fraco a moderado sintoma de canelura. No entanto, a maioria dos isolados de CTV das plantas de ambos os grupos induziu fraca reação em limão galego e nenhuma relação entre títulos do vírus nos tecidos e sintomatologia foi observada na avaliação sorológica conduzida por DAS-ELISA. A reação com diferentes anticorpos monoclonais e os distintos padrões eletroforéticos obtidos por SSCP demonstraram que há uma grande diversidade entre os isolados de CTV que infectam os acessos de pomelos. Alta complexidade de bandas dentro de um mesmo isolado foi também observada nos perfis SSCP, demonstrando que cada isolado é constituído por uma mistura de diferentes haplótipos de CTV. Padrões SSCP semelhantes foram observados entre algumas plantas com fortes sintomas de caneluras e entre algumas plantas com sintomas fracos ou moderados de caneluras

Alimentação e ecomorfologia de duas espécies de piranhas (Characiformes: Characidae) do lago de Viana, estado do Maranhão, Brasil Feeding and ecomorphology of two species of piranhas (Characiformes: Characidae) from the Viana Lake, Maranhão state, Brazil

Serrasalmus aff. brandtii e Pygocentrus nattereri são duas espécies de piranhas comuns no Lago de Viana, um lago formado a partir das inundações do Rio Pindaré, tributário da margem esquerda do Rio Mearim. Uma amostra composta por 249 exemplares destas espécies foi estudada a fim de identificar a composição da dieta e as estratégias alimentares empregadas pelas duas. Os peixes foram coletados trimestralmente durante um ano, entre março de 1998 e março de 1999, usando redes de emalhar e tarrafas. A composição qualitativa da dieta foi analisada com uso do método de freqüência de ocorrência. As estratégias alimentares empregadas pelas espécies foram inferidas através do método gráfico de Costello (1990), modificado por Amundsen et al. (1996). Os resultados indicaram que peixes foi o item encontrado com maior freqüência nos estômagos de ambas as espécies, seguido de matéria vegetal, com maior participação na dieta de P. nattereri. Os recursos peixes e vegetais tenderam a apresentar relações inversas quando comparados com as diferentes classes de comprimento. A análise gráfica da dieta de P. nattereri e S. aff. brandtii sugere que a maioria dos indivíduos utiliza vários recursos simultaneamente. Uma análise multivariada de índices ecomorfológicos indicou que as espécies são segregadas com relação à habilidade natatória, posição ocupada na coluna d'água e tamanho relativo das presas.<br>Serrasalmus aff. brandtii and Pygocentrus nattereri are two species of piranhas, both common in the Viana Lake, which is formed by the flooding waters of the Pindaré River, a tributary of the left bank of the Mearim River. A sample composed of 249 specimens of these species was studied in order to identify diet composition and feeding strategies employed by the two species. The piranhas were captured thrimonthly, during one year from March 1998 to March 1999 using gill and fishing nets of different mesh sizes. The qualitative composition of the diet was analysed through the frequency of occurrence method. The feeding strategies employed by the piranhas were inferred using the graphic method of Costello (1990), modified by Amundsen et al. (1996). The results indicated that fish was the main food item in the stomach contents of the two species, followed by plant material, more in the P. nattereri. Fish and plant material showed different relationships in relation to piranhas's length classes. The graphic analysis of the feeding strategies employed by P. nattereri and S. aff. brandtii suggest a generalist habit, wide width niche with strong participation of the within-phenotype component, which indicated that the majority of individuals of these species use several resources simultaneously. A multivariate analysis of the ecomorphological index indicated that the species are discriminated by swimming ability, water column position and relative prey size