外来入侵种紫茎泽兰生理生态学研究

紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum Spreng.)种子萌发的温度范围是10-30 ℃，最适宜的萌发温度是25℃，高温显著抑制其萌发，35 ℃恒温即没有种子萌发。紫茎泽兰种子萌发对于光的需求为中等，在黑暗中发芽率为17%。紫茎泽兰种子萌发的pH 范围是5.0-7.0，最高发芽率是以蒸馏水为介质，其pH为5.7。紫茎泽兰种子的萌发率随着水势的加大而逐渐降低，在水势大于-0.7 MPa 条件下，即没有种子萌发。在盐分含量小于100 mM NaCl 条件下，其发芽率均大于65%;在盐分含量小于250 mM条件下，其发芽率仍大于10%，当盐分含量达到300 mM NaCl时，即没有种子萌发。紫茎泽兰种子在土壤表层其发芽率最高，当埋藏深度为1.5 cm时即没有种子萌发。根据我们所得的实验结果，对比其原产地的气候条件并结合我国的气候条件和土壤条件进行分析，我们预测紫茎泽兰未来在中国的分布范围将局限在云贵高原，尽管在某些气候和土壤环境适宜的条件下仍有可能会形成零星分布区。 研究了紫茎泽兰和飞机草(Eupatorium odoratum L.)在三种环境胁迫条件下（高温、低温、干旱）七种抗氧化酶活性的变化。结果表明：这三种环境胁迫都对两种植物的生物膜系统造成了损伤，造成了植物体内丙二醛含量的升高。紫茎泽兰在这三种环境胁迫条件下，DHAR活性都升高;SOD活性也都升高，但是在低温处理时与对照的差别并不明显;POD和GR活性在低温和干旱处理时升高，在高温处理时降低;CAT活性在高温和干旱处理时降低，在低温处理时升高;MDAR活性在在高温和干旱处理时降低，在低温处理时略微上升，但是与对照的差别并不明显;APX活性则在三种环境胁迫下表现各不相同。通过这些结果可以说明：DHAR对紫茎泽兰抵抗不良环境的损伤具有重要作用。 而飞机草的抗氧化酶系统的变化为：SOD、APX和DHAR在三种环境胁迫下酶活性都升高;CAT在高温胁迫下升高，而在低温和干旱胁迫下酶活性降低;POD和MDAR在高温和干旱胁迫下酶活性升高，而在低温胁迫下酶活性降低;GR在高温和干旱胁迫下酶活性升高，而在低温胁迫下保持不变。以上的研究结果说明，SOD、APX和DHAR是飞机草抵御环境胁迫的关键酶。 通过比较两种植物在温度胁迫下抗氧化酶系统的不同响应，我们研究发现：两种植物之所以对温度的忍耐性不同，在一定程度上是由于它们在温度胁迫时抗氧化酶系统所作出的不同响应，抗氧化酶系统很可能在两种植物抵抗温度胁迫过程中扮演重要角色，即通过有效调节抗氧化酶活性来减少植物体内有害物质-活性氧自由基的积累，从而减少对植物细胞膜的损伤。两者的差别主要是：紫茎泽兰在低温胁迫时，清除活性氧的抗氧化酶都增加，这就减轻了活性氧自由基在植物细胞中的积累，从而可以在一定程度上保护植物。但是，在高温胁迫时CAT, POD, APX, GR和MDAR酶活性并没有随着SOD活性的升高而升高，所以很有可能造成对细胞有毒害作用的H2O2累积，其结果就造成了紫茎泽兰在高温胁迫下叶片细胞膜的过氧化程度较强。而飞机草的情况正相反，在低温胁迫下飞机草叶片细胞膜的过氧化程度较强，抗氧化酶的协调上升出现在飞机草遭受高温胁迫时，而当其处于低温胁迫时抗氧化酶间的变化趋势则出现了很大分歧，这说明飞机草在高温胁迫时较低温胁迫时能够较好地保护自身遭受活性氧自由基的伤害。

Evaluation of the Toxic Effect from Eupatorium Microphyllum L.F. (Asteraceae) Extracts on Aedes Aegypti Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Laboratory Conditions

In the present work the toxic activity of extracts of Eupatorium microphyllum L.F. was evaluated on 4th instar larvae of the mosquito Aedes aegypti (Linneaus), under laboratory conditions. Aqueous extracts were utilized in concentrations of 500 mg L-1, 1,500 mg L-1 and 2,500 mg L-1 and acetone in concentrations of 10 mg L-1, 20 mg L-1, 30 mg L-1, 40 mg L-1and 50 mg L-1. The bioassays were carried out for triplicate each one with 20 larvae, exposed for 24 hours to 150 mL of solution. In all the bioassays were employed control groups. In the evaluation of the acetone extracts, a negative control was employed to avoid that the mortality of the larvae to occur on account of the solvent. The Aqueous extracts showed low moderate action in the mortality of larvae, less than 20%. On the contrary, the action of the acetone extracts was observed to 10 and 20 mg L-1with 15% of mortality, while to 30 and 40 mg L-1 were registered 22 to 38% of mortality. However, to 50 mg L-1 the mortality was of 95.4% with highly significant statistical results. The concentrations of the acetone extracts showed to be the most efficient for the control of the mosquitoes selected. Both types of extracts showed toxic effect in larvae of A. aegypti, nevertheless, greater effect in the acetone extracts was observed relating to the aqueous extracts of E. microphyllum, which constitutes a viable alternative in the search of new larvicides from composed natural.

The effect of wilting and soaking Eupatorium adenophorum on its digestibility in vitro and voluntary intake by goats

An experiment was conducted to determine what effect simple treatments might have on the voluntary intake by goats in Nepal of Eupatorium adenophorum, an invasive weed that is usually only consumed by goats to a very limited extent. Samples of E. adenophorum were collected and either untreated, soaked for 2 h or wilted for 2 h before being oven dried (60 degrees C) and ground. Soaking and wilting had little effect on the chemical composition of E. adenophorum, but did increase (P=0.036) its in vitro organic matter degradability, by approximately 8%. The short-term intake rate (STIR) of treated and untreated E. adenophorum was then estimated with eight goats. Soaking time (from 2 to 24 h) was not related to STIR (r = -0.111, P=0.198), but the time E. adenophorum was left to wilt (from 2 to 48h), was positively related to STIR (r=0.521, P<0.001), with values of STIR (g dry matter/min kg goat liveweight(0.75)) being 0.405, 0.649,1.058, S.E.M. 0.088 for E. adenophorum, that had been wilted for 0, 24 and 48 h respectively (P<0.001). Liveweight change of goats and voluntary intake of E. adenophorum by goats was then estimated with 24 goats. E. adenophorum was fed either unwilted, or wilted for 24 or 48 h. It was fed as the sole forage or as a 3:1 mixture (dry matter basis) with Ficus cunia. There was a linear (P<0.001) and quadratic (P<0.01) increase in the intake of total forage and E. adenophorum with wilting time of E. adenophorum. Offering Ficus cunia increased total forage intake, but decreased E. adenophorum intake (P<0.05). After four weeks, there was virtually no change in goat liveweight and no significant difference between treatments. The results suggest that wilting E adenophorum for 24 h could increase its intake by goats, and thereby increase its usefulness, as a potential source of forage in the dry season of Nepal, when forage scarcity is a common constraint to livestock production. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cytogenetics and embryology of Eupatorium laevigatum (Compositae)

Embryological studies indicate Eupatorium laevigatum to have Antennaria type diplospory with precocious embryony. The embryo sac is of the Polygonum type and the polar nuclei fuse before anthesis (maturation of the stamens). Endosperm development is autonomous and the central cell divides only after the initial stages of embryo formation. It is estimated that about 10% of the florets in anthesis contain an undivided egg which can be used for sexual reproduction. The study of microsporogenesis revealed abnormalities in chromosome pairing which result in the formation of univalents, bivalents, trivalents and higher polyvalents, with the consequent production of lagging chromosomes, unbalanced nuclei, micronuclei and sterile pollen. We found that, as represented by the material studied, E. laevigatum is an autohexaploid (2n = 6x = 60) in which each chromosome of a basic set of ten chromosomes is repeated six times and that E. laevigatum is an essentialy obligate apomictic.

Avaliação neurocomportamental, antinociceptiva e antioxidante do extrato hidroalcoólico de Eupatorium ayapana Vent (Asteraceae)

O Eupatorium ayapana Vent., da família Asteraceae, conhecida popularmente como japana é utilizada em infusões, decocção, banhos e chá, com ação sedativa, febrífuga, estimulante e tônica, utilizada também no combate à insônia, dor de cabeça, dor de garganta, diarréia, etc., sendo muito utilizada pela população amazônica. Este estudo avaliou a ação de diferentes doses do extrato hidroalcoólico de Eupatorium ayapana Vent (EHAEA) sobre o comportamento de ratos Wistar, na faixa etária de 2 meses. Foram utilizados 8 grupos de ratos machos (n= 7-10), divididos em controle, droga padrão de ação ansiolítica (diazepam), droga padrão de ação antidepressiva (fluoxetina) e 5 doses do extrato (100, 200, 400, 600, 800 mg/Kg), que foram solubilizados com tween 80 a 1%. A administração do extrato foi realizada de forma aguda por gavagem. No teste de toxicidade oral realizado, verificou-se que o extrato não é tóxico. Os testes comportamentais utilizados foram: o campo aberto, o Labirinto em Cruz Elevado (LCE) e o nado forçado. Após os testes comportamentais foi realizada a coleta de sangue na região do plexo retroorbital dos ratos, para avaliação dos níveis de estresse oxidativo como: Capacidade Antioxidante Total, malondialdeído (MDA) e NO, e também a ação antioxidante total do EHAEA. Os resultados obtidos no teste do campo aberto demonstraram atividade do tipo ansiolítica, resultado confirmado com o teste do LCE. No teste do Nado Forçado, o EHAEA demonstrou ação do tipo antidepressiva. Nos testes de nocicepção, o qual se utilizou camundongos, ocorreu atividade antinociceptiva no teste de contorção abdominal induzido, nas doses de 200, 400, 600 e 800 mg/Kg. Na avaliação da bioquímica oxidativa, observou-se que não ocorreu dano oxidativo nos grupos tratados com o EHAEA, os níveis de NO permaneceram inalterados nas doses de 200, 400 e 600 mg, e a capacidade antioxidante total mostrou-se aumentada. Com estes resultados apresentados, o presente trabalho pretende contribuir com futuros trabalhos, haja vista, serem escassos os trabalhos na área comportamental, de nocicepção e estresse oxidativo com esta espécie vegetal, e que estudos posteriores possam reforçar o uso do extrato da japana na medicina popular.