Efeito dos ácidos graxos ômega-3, ômega-6 e ômega-9 sobre o risco cardiovascular de indivíduos adultos: estudo clínico de prevenção primária.

INTRODUÇÃO: As doenças cardiovasculares (DCV) são a principal causa de morte no mundo, sendo muitos dos fatores de risco passíveis de prevenção e controle. Embora as DCV sejam complexas em sua etiologia e desenvolvimento, a concentração elevada de LDL-c e baixa de HDL-c constituem os fatores de risco modificáveis mais monitorados na prática clínica, embora não sejam capazes de explicar todos os eventos cardiovasculares. Portanto, investigar como intervenções farmacológicas e nutricionais podem modular parâmetros oxidativos, físicos e estruturais das lipoproteínas pode fornecer estimativa adicional ao risco cardiovascular. Dentre os diversos nutrientes e compostos bioativos relacionados às DCV, os lipídeos representam os mais investigados e descritos na literatura. Nesse contexto, os ácidos graxos insaturados (ômega-3, ômega-6 e ômega-9) têm sido foco de inúmeros estudos. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o efeito da suplementação com ômega-3, ômega-6 e ômega-9 sobre os parâmetros cardiometabólicos em indivíduos adultos com múltiplos fatores de risco e sem evento cardiovascular prévio. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Estudo clínico, randomizado, duplo-cego, baseado em intervenção nutricional (3,0 g/dia de ácidos graxos) sob a fórmula de cápsulas contendo: ômega-3 (37 por cento de EPA e 23 por cento de DHA) ou ômega-6 (65 por cento de ácido linoleico) ou ômega-9 (72 por cento de ácido oleico). A amostra foi composta por indivíduos de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 30 e 74 anos, apresentando pelo menos um dos seguintes fatores de risco: Dislipidemia, Diabetes Mellitus, Obesidade e Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica. Após aprovação do Comitê de Ética, os indivíduos foram distribuídos nos três grupos de intervenção. No momento basal, os indivíduos foram caracterizados quanto aos aspectos demográficos (sexo, idade e etnia) e clínicos (medicamentos, doenças atuais e antecedentes familiares). Nos momentos basal e após 8 semanas de intervenção, amostras de sangue foram coletadas após 12h de jejum. A partir do plasma foram analisados: perfil lipídico (CT, LDL-c, HDL-c, TG), apolipoproteínas AI e B, ácidos graxos não esterificados, atividade da PON1, LDL(-) e auto-anticorpos, ácidos graxos, glicose, insulina, tamanho e distribuição percentual da LDL (7 subfrações e fenótipo A e não-A) e HDL (10 subfrações). O efeito do tempo, da intervenção e associações entre os ácidos graxos e aspectos qualitativos das lipoproteínas foram testados (SPSS versão 20.0, p <0,05). RESULTADOS: Uma primeira análise dos resultados baseada em um corte transversal demonstrou, por meio da análise de tendência linear ajustada pelo nível de risco cardiovascular, que o maior tercil plasmático de DHA se associou positivamente com HDL-c, HDLGRANDE e tamanho de LDL e negativamente com HDLPEQUENA e TG. Observou-se também que o maior tercil plasmático de ácido linoleico se associou positivamente com HDLGRANDE e tamanho de LDL e negativamente com HDLPEQUENA e TG. Esse perfil de associação não foi observado quando foram avaliados os parâmetros dietéticos. Avaliando uma subamostra que incluiu indivíduos tabagistas suplementados com ômega-6 e ômega-3, observou-se que ômega-3 modificou positivamente o perfil lipídico e as subfrações da HDL. Nos modelos de regressão linear ajustados pela idade, sexo e hipertensão, o DHA plasmático apresentou associações negativas com a HDLPEQUENA. Quando se avaliou exclusivamente o efeito do ômega-3 em indivíduos tabagistas e não tabagistas, observou-se que fumantes, do sexo masculino, acima de 60 anos de idade, apresentando baixo percentual plasmático de EPA e DHA (<8 por cento ), com excesso de peso e gordura corporal elevada, apresentam maior probabilidade de ter um perfil de subfrações de HDL mais aterogênicas. Tendo por base os resultados acima, foi comparado o efeito do ômega-3, ômega-6 e ômega-9 sobre os parâmetros cardiometabólicos. O ômega-3 promoveu redução no TG, aumento do percentual de HDLGRANDE e redução de HDLPEQUENA. O papel cardioprotetor do ômega-3 foi reforçado pelo aumento na incorporação de EPA e DHA, no qual indivíduos com EPA e DHA acima de 8 por cento apresentaram maior probabilidade de ter HDLGRANDE e menor de ter HDLPEQUENA. Em adição, observou-se também que o elevado percentual plasmático de ômega-9 se associou com partículas de LDL menos aterogênicas (fenótipo A). CONCLUSÃO: Ácidos graxos plasmáticos, mas não dietéticos, se correlacionam com parâmetros cardiometabólicos. A suplementação com ômega-3, presente no óleo de peixe, promoveu redução no TG e melhoria nos parâmetros qualitativos da HDL (mais HDLGRANDE e menos HDLPEQUENA). Os benefícios do ômega-3 foram particularmente relevantes nos indivíduos tabagistas e naqueles com menor conteúdo basal de EPA e DHA plasmáticos. Observou-se ainda que o ômega-9 plasmático, presente no azeite de oliva, exerceu impacto positivo no tamanho e subfrações da LDL.

Efeito de fontes de óleos vegetais sobre o desempenho, características de carcaça e qualidade da carne de bovinos Nelore

A inclusão de óleos vegetais na dieta de bovinos tem sido utilizada para aumentar a densidade energética da dieta, melhorar a eficiência alimentar, além de produzir carnes com a composição de ácidos graxos mais favorável à saúde humana. Objetivou-se estudar os efeitos da inclusão de óleos de soja, girassol e linhaça na dieta de bovinos, sobre o desempenho, características quantitativas de carcaça e qualitativas da carne, perfil de ácidos graxos, oxidação lipídica e formação de compostos oxidados do colesterol. Foram confinados 96 bovinos Nelore, castrados, com aproximadamente 380 kg ± 34 kg de peso inicial e idade média de 20 meses. As dietas foram compostas de 79% de concentrado e 21% de volumoso (silagem de milho) e incluídos os óleos de soja, girassol e linhaça. Os animais foram pesados e avaliadas as características de carcaça por ultrassonografia nos dias 0, 28, 56 e 81 de confinamento. Nos dias zero e 81 dias de confinamento foi coletado sangue dos bovinos para avaliação do LDL-colesterol, HDL-colesterol, VLDL-colesterol e triacilgliceróis. Ao final de 81 dias de confinamento, os animais foram abatidos e foi avaliado o pH (uma e 48 horas após o abate) e foram retiradas amostras do músculo longissimus. Foi avaliado a cor, força de cisalhamento (FC) e perdas por cocção (PPC) em carnes não maturadas e maturadas por 14 dias. Duas amostras do longissimus foram expostas por um e três dias em condições semelhantes ao varejo. Nas carnes expostas por um dia foi avaliado a cor e o pH. Nas amostras expostas por três dias foi avaliado além da cor e pH, o perfil de ácidos graxos, TBARS, colesterol e a presença do 7-cetocolesterol. Foi realizada ainda a análise sensorial e determinado a quantidade de lipídios totais das carnes. A estabilidade oxidativa dos óleos utilizados na dieta também foi avaliada. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento de blocos casualizados, sendo o peso inicial o bloco. O desempenho e as características de carcaça avaliadas por ultrassonografia não foram influenciadas pelas fontes de óleo. Os tratamentos não influenciaram o peso de abate, o peso de carcaça quente, o pH da carcaça uma hora e 48 horas após o abate, o rendimento de carcaça, a cor, as PPC e a FC. O pH foi maior nas carnes maturadas por 14 dias (P=0,01), em relação àquelas sem maturação. As PPC e a FC foram menores (P=0,01) nas carnes maturadas por 14 dias. O óleo de linhaça apresentou menor estabilidade oxidativa seguidos do óleo de girassol e soja. As fontes de óleo não afetaram a concentração dos lipídios do plasma sanguíneo, no entanto, os níveis de VLDL, LDL, HDL, colesterol e triacilgliceróis foram maiores (P<0,01) no final do experimento em relação ao início. Não houve interação entre a espessura de gordura subcutânea (EGS) avaliada no abate e as dietas e efeito das fontes de óleo sobre os valores de TBARS, lipídios e colesterol. Não foi encontrado o 7-cetocolesterol nas carnes. O pH das carnes expostas por um e três dias sob condições de varejo, não foram influenciadas pela dieta nem pela interação da dieta e dos dias de exposição. No entanto, foi observado o efeito de tempo (P<0,01), as carnes expostas por três dias tiveram valores de pH maiores que as carnes expostas por um dia. A cor L*, a* e b* das carnes expostas em gôndola, sob condições de varejo não foi influenciado pela dieta, pelos dias de exposição e nem pela interação dos dias de exposição e dietas. Os ácidos graxos C18:1 n-9, C20:3 n-6 e C20:5 n-3 apresentaram interação entre a EGS e a dieta (P<0,05). O C18:1 cis 6 apresentou maiores concentrações (P<0,05) nas carnes provenientes dos animais alimentados com óleo de linhaça e soja, em comparação com as carnes provenientes da dieta controle. O C18:3 n-3 apresentou maiores concentrações nas carnes de animais alimentados com linhaça (P<0,05), em comparação com os demais tratamentos. O aroma e a textura da carne avaliados em análise sensorial realizada com consumidores não foram alterados pelos tratamentos. A carne dos animais alimentados com óleo de girassol resultou em maiores notas para o sabor (P<0,01), em relação à carne proveniente de animais alimentados com óleo de soja. As dietas controle e girassol resultaram em carnes mais suculentas e com maior aceitabilidade global (P<0,01), em relação ao tratamento soja. Independentemente do tipo de óleo utilizado na dieta dos animais, não houve influência no desempenho e nas características da carcaça. O óleo de linhaça proporcionou carnes com perfil de ácidos graxos mais favorável para a saúde humana, pois apresentou maiores proporções do ácido linolênico e relações ideais de n6:n3 (4,15). O uso de óleos vegetais na dieta, não prejudicou a aparência das carnes e não proporcionaram oxidação lipídica com a formação de compostos de colesterol oxidados nas carnes expostas sob condições de varejo.

Drying Peppers: Technolocy and Properties

The peppers can be very diverse, from sweet to hot peppers, varying in shape, in colour, in properties and usages. While some are eaten in the fresh state, many of them undergo a drying process to be preserved for a longer time and to increase availability and convenience. Hence, after harvesting, in many cases a drying operation is involved, and the present chapter aims to address this operation, of pivotal importance. In ancient times, the drying of foods in general and peppers in particular was done by exposure to the solar radiation. However, despite its cheapness and easiness, this process involved many drawbacks, like long drying times, probability of adverse atmospheric conditions and contaminations of the product. Hence, nowadays its usage is reduced. The most popular industrial drying method is the hot air convective drying. However, the high temperatures to which the product is exposed can cause changes in the composition and nutritional value as well as in the physical properties or organoleptic quality of the products. Other alternative methods can be used, but sometimes they are more expensive or more time consuming, such as is the case of freeze drying. Still, this last also has visible advantages from the quality point of view, minimizing the changes in texture, colour, flavour or nutrients. The knowledge of adequate drying operating conditions allows the optimization of the product characteristics, and hence to know the drying kinetics or the isotherms is fundamental to properly design the most adequate drying processes, and therefore preserve the organoleptic characteristics as well as the bioactive compounds present.

Approaches for the vaccination and treatment of Neospora caninum infections in mice and ruminant models.

Neospora caninum is a leading cause of abortion in cattle, and is thus an important veterinary health problem of high economic significance. Vaccination has been considered a viable strategy to prevent bovine neosporosis. Different approaches have been investigated, and to date the most promising results have been achieved with live-attenuated vaccines. Subunit vaccines have also been studied, and most of them represented components that are functionally involved in (i) the physical interaction between the parasite and its host cell during invasion or (ii) tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite stage conversion. Drugs have been considered as an option to limit the effects of vertical transmission of N. caninum. Promising results with a small panel of compounds in small laboratory animal models indicate the potential value of a chemotherapeutical approach for the prevention of neosporosis in ruminants. For both, vaccines and drugs, the key for success in preventing vertical transmission lies in the application of bioactive compounds that limit parasite proliferation and dissemination, without endangering the developing fetus not only during an exogenous acute infection but also during recrudescence of a chronic infection. In this review, the current status of vaccine and drug development is presented and novel strategies against neosporosis are discussed.

Pressure-treated wood.

"This Lake notes publication was prepared by Jason Navota of the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, Chicago, Illinois"--P. [4]

Carbohydrate-based scaffolds in drug discovery

Carbohydrates have been proven as valuable scaffolds to display pharmocophores and the resulting molecules have demonstrated useful biological activity towards various targets including the somatostatin receptors (SSTR), integrins, HIV-1 protease, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), and as RNA binders. Carbohydrate-based compounds have also shown antibacterial and herbicidal activity.

Erythrocyte antioxidant protection of rose hips (Rosa spp.)

Rose hips are popular in health promoting products as the fruits contain high content of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate whether health benefits are attributable to ascorbic acid, phenols, or other rose-hip-derived compounds. Freeze-dried powder of rose hips was preextracted with metaphosphoric acid and the sample was then sequentially eluted on a C18 column. The degree of amelioration of oxidative damage was determined in an erythrocyte in vitro bioassay by comparing the effects of a reducing agent on erythrocytes alone or on erythrocytes pretreated with berry extracts. The maximum protection against oxidative stress, 59.4 ± 4.0% (mean standard deviation), was achieved when incubating the cells with the first eluted meta-phosphoric extract. Removal of ascorbic acid from this extract increased the protection against oxidative stress to 67.9 ± 1.9% . The protection from the 20% and 100% methanol extracts was 20.8 ± 8.2% and 5.0 ± 3.2% , respectively. Antioxidant uptake was confirmed by measurement of catechin by HPLC-ESI-MS in the 20% methanol extract. The fact that all sequentially eluted extracts studied contributed to protective effects on the erythrocytes indicates that rose hips contain a promising level of clinically relevant antioxidant protection. © Copyright 2012 C. Widén et al.

Protection of human erythrocytes against oxidative stress by berries

Berries contain several bioactive compounds that can protect against oxidative stress. In this study we evaluated the protective effect of different sequential extracts (ethyl acetate, ethanol and water) of seven berry species: bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), rose hips (Rosa sp.), sea buckthorn (Hippohae rhamnoides) and strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). The protective effect was tested on human erythrocytes and the antioxidant capacity was also evaluated in vitro by the FRAP assay. In the erythrocyte assay all sea buckthorn extracts were superior in antioxidant effect to other berry extracts. The ethyl acetate extract of bilberries, and the ethanol and water extracts of blackcurrants, also protected the erythrocytes from oxidation. In contrast, water extracts of rose hips, bilberries and strawberries had a pro-oxidant effect on erythrocytes. The water extract of rose hips was superior to the other berry extracts in the FRAP assay. Thus, the results of the erythrocyte assay did not correlate with the results of the FRAP assay, but provided additional insights into the potential protective effects of berry extracts against oxidative stress. © 2012 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.

Investigating an Alternative Treatment to Cystic Fibrosis: Testing the Effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer extracts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The predominant pathogen found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The success of the infection is partially due to virulence factor production, which is regulated by quorum sensing (QS) signaling. Currently, antibiotics are used to treat the infection, but resistant forms of P. aeruginosa have evolved, necessitating alternative treatments. Previous animal studies showed that treatment with extracts from the Chinese herb Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer reduced bacterial load resulting in a favorable immune response. It is hypothesized that ginsenosides, the major bioactive compounds in ginseng, is responsible for this effect. This study explores the role of ginseng extracts in attenuating P. aeruginosa virulence. A sequential extraction was performed using hexane, methylene chloride, methanol, and water. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed the methanol and water ginseng extracts contained the known ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, and Rg1• All extracts were tested on biomonitor strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens,Chromobacterium violaceum, and P. aeruginosa. Antibacterial and anti-QS activity were assessed using a disc diffusion assay. This was then followed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) bioautographic assay to further separate active compounds. The hexane and dichloromethane extracts, that lacked ginsenosides, displayed antibacterial activity against C. violaceum, whereas methanol and water extracts had anti-QS activity. The results of the bioassay with the pure ginsenoside standards showed that they lack antibacterial or anti-QS activity. Our results indicate that there are bioactive compounds, other than ginsenosides, that are the cause of antibacterial effects and anti-QS in the ginseng extracts.

Avaliação anti-inflamatória e antipeçonhenta das espécies Hancornia speciosa e Mimosa tenuiflora em modelos experimentais de inflamação e envenenamento induzidos por Bothrops jararaca e Tityus serrulatus

Accidents caused by venomous animals represents a significant and serious public health problem in certain regions of Brazil, as well as in other parts of the world by the frequency with which they occur and the mortality they cause. The use of plant extracts as an antidote for poisoning cases is an ancient practice used in many communities that have no access to antivenom. Medicinal plants represent an important source of obtaining bioactive compounds able to assist directly in the treatment of poisoning or indirectly supplementing serum therapy currently used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extracts, fractions and isolated compounds from M. tenuiflora and H. speciosa in the inflammatory process induced by carrageenan and the venom of B. jararaca and T. serrulatus. The results showed that both M. tenuiflora and H. speciosa were capable of inhibiting cell migration and cytokines levels in peritonitis induced by carrageenin and venom of T. serrulatus. In poisoning by B. jararaca model, mice treated with the plants in studies decreased the leukocyte influx into the peritoneal cavity. Finally the M. tenuiflora and H. speciosa had antiphlogistic activity, reducing edema formation and exerted inhibitory action of leukocyte migration in local inflammation induced by the venom of B. jararaca. Through of Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) analysis was possible identified the presence of flavonoids ,saponins and/or terpenes in aqueous extract of M. tenuiflora. By High Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis, it was possible to identify the presence of rutin and chlorogenic acid in aqueous extract of H. speciosa. We conclude that the administration of extracts, fractions and isolated compounds of H. speciosa and M. tenuiflora resulted in inhibition of the inflammatory process in different experimental models. This study demonstrates for the first time the effect of M. tenuiflora and H. speciosa in inhibition of the inflammation caused by B. jararaca and T. serrulatus venom.

Avaliação do efeito do extrato hidroalcoólico das folhas de Anacardium occidentale L. em ratos submetidos à colite ulcerativa

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation in the intestinal mucosa, in most cases affects the colon and rectum. The therapeutic drugs are used as aminosalicylates and glucocorticosteroids, but due to the low response and the various side effects caused by them, reveals the need to search for new sources of useful compounds in the treatment of this disease.The species Anacardium occidentale popularly known as cashew, has been used for centuries in folk medicine in the healing aid of skin and mucosa lesions.Recent studies show its expressive antiulcerogenic effect, what we instigated to assess the effect of the extract of A. occidentaleleaves in rats with acute ulcerative colitis, therefore, 42 rats were used male Wistar, divided into 06 groups, and Negative Control (C) Positive Control (C +), treated with Sulfasalazine (Sz500) and treated with Extract A. occidentale at doses of 50 (Ao50), 100 (Ao100) and 200 mg / kg (Ao200).All groups were submitted to experimental colitis Ulcerative except C-, moreover, C- and C + received saline via gavage for 7 consecutive days while the other groups received their respective treatments.Euthanasia of animals took place on the 8th day in which it was collected intestinal colon sample for later analysis macroscopic, histopathological, morphometric and biochemistry, as well as complementary collection of blood and liver tissue. The extract is rich in saponins and phenolic compounds such as flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) and tannins.When the Sz500 groups and 100 showed significant protection to damage to lipids and proteins, among the groups subjected to experimental ulcerative colitis, the animals Ao100 group obtained the lowest score in all parameters analyzed.Treatment with 100 mg / kg of A. occidentale extract seems to have a combination of antiinflammatory, antioxidant, bactericidal and anabolic promoted by the bioactive compounds present in the extract.However, it is necessary to investigate harder treating dose of 100mg / kg to higher doses compared to elucidate more properly the best therapeutic dosage ulcerative colitis.

Isolation and structural characterization of fucoidans from the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus

agricultural, pharmaceutical, cosmetic or bioenergy applications. They contain bioactive compounds, namely, polysaccharides Fucoidan. These polysaccharides are mainly constituted by fucose residues and sulfate esters, and have been reported to possess a broad variety of bioactivities, such as anticoagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antiviral and antioxidant. In this work, the fucoidans from brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus from “Ria de Aveiro” were isolated and characterized in order to add value to this natural resource of the region. The polysaccharides from the algae were extracted with hot water and fractioned by ethanol precipitation and calcium chloride salts. They were further purified by using anion-exchange chromatography, allowing to separate the neutral polysaccharides (laminaranas) from those negatively charged (sulfated fucoidans and alginate). The purified polysaccharides showed high content of fucose (41 mol%) and sulfates (50 mol%), having also galactose residues (6 mol%), which confirm the presence of only sulfated fucoidans. Glycosidic linkages analysis show the presence of high amounts of terminal fucose (25%) and (1→3,4)-Fuc (26%), allowing to infer that the fucoidans were highly branched. These fucoidans are composed also by (1→2)-Fuc (14%) and (1→3)-Fuc linkages (10-16%). In this work it was also tested an alternative extraction technology, the microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity system, where it was possible to extract sugars, although in low yields. However, this methodology allowed to extract polysaccharides, constituted mainly by fucose and uronic acids, as well as mannitol, without the need to add any solvent, obtaining at the end the dry alga. The current work allowed to characterize the structure of the fucoidans isolated from “Ria de Aveiro” F. vesiculosus. The presence of high content of sulfate residues and the high branch degree of the purified fucoidans allow to infer that these polysaccharides could have potential to be studied for biomedical applications, according to their biological activities.

Características fitoquímicas e propriedades antioxidantes do grão de café verde

Entre os produtos comercializados a nível mundial, o café é um dos mais valiosos, sendo apenas superado pelo petróleo em termos de movimentações financeiras. Assim, torna-se indiscutível a importância do café na política e na economia de muitos países, pois o seu cultivo, processamento, comercialização, transporte e mercado criam milhões de empregos por todo o mundo. A composição química do café constitui um parâmetro fundamental na distinção das diferentes variedades deste produto, recorrendo-se frequentemente à análise de compostos como a cafeína, o ácido hidroxicinâmico e o ácido clorogénico, entre outros. O principal objetivo deste trabalho focou-se no estudo do perfil dos compostos bioativos presentes em grãos de café verde provenientes de Cabo Verde e das inerentes propriedades antioxidantes. Mais concretamente, procedeu-se à quantificação dos compostos bioativos com maior importância no café, como é o caso dos fenólicos e flavonoides totais, das antocianinas e dos carotenoides. A quantidade de compostos fenólicos totais encontrados na amostra dos grãos de café verde foi 4,855 mg/g. Quanto à quantidade de flavonoides totais, foi 41,2 mg/g e de antocianinas 0,465 mg/g. Relativamente aos carotenoides estudados, a clorofila a apresenta-se em quantidade igual a 1,5×10 mg/g, a clorofila b, 1,6×10 mg/g, o licopeno, 6×10 mg/g e o β-caroteno aparenta ser inexistente nesta amostra. A quantificação destes compostos bioativos comprovou a sua presença na amostra de café verde e, consequentemente, evidenciou os potenciais benefícios que este produto traz para a saúde, sendo a capacidade antioxidante o mais prevalente.

Crescimento micelial de Ganoderma lucidum em diferentes substratos e relação com concentração de β-Glucanas, atividade antioxidante e efeitos sobre o desempenho de coelhos

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom traditionally consumed in Asian countries that presents several beneficial effects already verified. Despite all studies about their bioactive compounds, the best cultivation media enrichment aiming to increase the production of these compounds is still uncertain. Besides, few studies are related to the performance of production animals. In order to test different cultivation media for G. lucidum mycelia, agricultural residues (solid state fermentation) and different sugars and aminoacids (in culture media with agar), were tested to evaluate G. lucidum mycelium growth. Supply of flour with G. lucidum mycelia obtained by solid state fermentation (wheat grain) for rabbits was also evaluated. Mycelium of G. lucidum developed very well in all agricultural residues, soybean hulls was the residue that presented higher growth rate and higher concentration of β-glucans. In the cultivation media experiment, G. lucidum also developed well, media that contained cellobiose and tyrosine, despite presenting lower growth rates and total growth within 10 days, produced mycelia with higher concentration of β-glucans and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), respectively. Rabbits did not show any sign of intolerance to feed with different concentrations of flour with G. lucidum mycelium. All performance parameters and dressing percentages were adequate to the age at which they were slaughtered. Histological evaluation of organs presented alterations in renal cells (tubular and glomerulus), indicating a possible renal lesion according to the increase of flour with mycelium in feed. Histomorphometric evaluation showed increased vilous height in ileum and decreased vilous width of jejunus at 0.5% concentration, and decrease in crypt diameter according to the increase of concentration of flour with mycelium in feed. These results indicate the possibility of more studies regarding the aspects about cellobiose and tyrosine utilization for the production of bioactive compounds, and about toxicity of this mushroom mycelia, assuring the safety in supplying this product for animails.

Queijo minas padrão com reduzido teor de sódio: composição e caracterização sensorial

Sodium is an essential nutrient with important functions in the organism, however, its ingestion in excess may cause various health problems such as arterial hypertension, brain diseases, heart failure and chronic renal failure. In this context, the present study proposes to prepare Minas Padrão cheese with different contents of sodium with the objective of evaluating the effect of the addition of potassium chloride in sensory characteristics and hysicochemical properties, as well as in the proximal composition and in microbiological quality. The cheeses were elaborate in concentrations of 100% of NaCl (C), 80% of NaCl + 20% of KCl (T1), 60% of NaCl + 40% of KCl (T2), 40% of NaCl + 60% of KCl (T3) and 20% of NaCl + 80% of KCl (T4) and stored for 20 days at 10 ºC. The proximal composition and physicochemical was based on the determination of moisture content, fat, protein, ash, chloride, sodium, potassium, titratable acidity and pH of all treatments after 20 days of storage. The microbiological quality of the samples was monitored through the count of Total Coliforms and Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., mold and yeast in the first and fifteenth day of storage. The sensorial characterization was performed by the technique of Free Profile choice. The results showed that the replacement of sodium chloride by potassium in the Minas Padrão cheese in concentration higher than 40% presented significantly higher moisture contents. Cheese with a reduction greater than 60% of sodium obtained significantly effect in the titratable acidity, presenting higher values compared to the other treatments. The cheese with 20% of salt replacement did not differ statistically in relation to the control. When the proportion of substituent was increased, a significant reduction of the sodium content of up to 73% was observed. As the sodium was replaced by potassium in cheese, the potassium content increased significantly, stablishing a reduction of 82% in relation to the control. There was no effect to sodium substitution by potassium in fat, protein, ash and chlorides, as well as the pH values. The microbiological results were in accordance with the current legislation, therefore suitable to be eaten. According to the Free Profile Choice technique it was observed that the control C cheese (100% of NaCl) showed results very close to the other treatments, differing only in flavor attributes. The replacement of sodium by potassium in proportions of 20% contributed to a bitter taste detected by the tasters. Whereas, the appearance, flavor and texture attributes showed no significant differences compared to the Minas Padrão cheese.