RESUMO
Spondias purpurea L. is a fruit native to Mexico, however, it is found as far away as Brazil. It possesses a high commercial potential owing to its sensorial and nutritional qualities and its low cost of production. There exists a variety of ecotypes that have not been characterized and their adequate selection process, according to their strongest functional characteristics, will allow the establishment of improvement programs for this genetic resource. The object of this study was the chemical characterization and the determination of the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant capacity of 7 Spondias purpurea L. ecotypes. Differences were observed in the antioxidant capacity and the content of functional compounds among all the ecotypes analyzed. A high total phenolic content and a low flavonoid and carotenoid content were found, both in the epicarp and in the pulp. In each ecotype, the hydrophilic phase presented up to 40 times greater antioxidant capacity compared to the lipophilic phase. The hydrophilic phase of the epicarp of "Costeña Tierra Colorada" had the greatest antioxidant capacity and highest total phenolic content, whereas "Jocote" presented the lowest antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. A positive correlation was observed between phenol levels and the antioxidant capacity in the epicarp. Regarding antioxidant activity in vivo, it was observed that in all analyzed concentrations of hydrophilic extracts of the epicarp of "Costeña Tierra Colorada" and in the highest "Jocote" concentrations, they provided thermo-protection against heat stress as well as a general well-being to the worm as evidenced by their high mobility.
Assuntos
Anacardiaceae/química , Antioxidantes/análise , Ecótipo , Frutas/química , Brasil , Carotenoides/análise , Flavonoides/análise , México , Fenóis/análise , Extratos Vegetais/química , Especificidade da EspécieRESUMO
The mammary gland has long drawn the attention of the scientific community due to the limited knowledge of some fundamental aspects involved in the control of its function. Myotis velifer, a microchiropteran species, provides an interesting model to study some of the regulatory factors involved in the control of the mammary gland cycle. Having an asynchronous, monoestrous reproductive pattern, female M. velifer bats undergo drastic morphological changes of the breast during the reproductive cycle. Current research on non-chiropteran mammals indicates that serotonin (5-HT) plays a major role in the intraluminal volume homeostasis of the mammary gland during lactation; however, an analysis of both the expression and localization of the main components of the serotonergic system in the bat mammary gland is lacking. Thus, the objectives of the present study were: to describe the gross and histological anatomy of the mammary gland of M. velifer to establish the lactation period for this species; to analyze the distribution and expression of the main serotonergic components in the mammary tissues of these bats under the physiological conditions of lactation, involution and the resting phase; and to provide information on the involvement of 5-HT in the regulation of the physiological function of this organ. To assess the expression and localization of serotonergic components, multiple immunofluorescence, Western blot and HPLC methods were used. 5-HT and the enzyme that catalyzes its synthesis (TPH) were located in both myoepithelial and luminal epithelial cells, while the enzyme responsible for the catabolism of this neurohormone (MAO A) was found in luminal epithelial cells as well as in secreted products. We also found an increased expression of serotonergic components during lactation, indicating that elements of the serotonergic system may play an important role in lactation in this species of bat in a way similar to that of other mammal species.
Assuntos
Quirópteros/metabolismo , Glândulas Mamárias Animais/enzimologia , Monoaminoxidase/metabolismo , Serotonina/metabolismo , Triptofano Hidroxilase/metabolismo , Animais , Western Blotting , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , Densitometria , Células Epiteliais/enzimologia , Feminino , Imunofluorescência , Lactação , Glândulas Mamárias Animais/anatomia & histologia , Glândulas Mamárias Animais/citologiaRESUMO
The mechanism of reproduction in mammals is very complex and in some cases is quite particular. For example in some bat species, the male presents a reproductive mechanism characterized by an annual testicular cycle that goes from recrudescence to regression (spermatogenesis to inactivity period, respectively). After recrudescence, the spermatozoa arrive at epididymis and wait to be expelled at the time of ejaculation during the mating period, which occurs some months later. Because serotonin (5-HT) has gained reproductive importance in the last years, the aim of the present study was to analyze the expression of this indolamine and both tryptophan hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase isoform A-enzymes involved in its metabolism-in Myotis velifer testes, a seasonal reproductive bat species that shows temporal asynchrony in its sexual cycle, across the principal periods of their reproductive cycle. By using both Falck-Hillarp histochemistry and immunofluorescence techniques, we found serotonin in vesicles of Leydig cells and probably Sertoli cells too; interestingly, both intracellular localization and concentration was variable across the different stages of the reproductive cycle, being lower during spermatogenesis phase and increasing during the mating phase. These results suggest that 5-HT is present in bat testes and it could play an important role in testicular function during their reproductive cycle.