Search

The current resistance status of mosquitos to common insecticides raises the concern for innovative formulations with novel active ingredients, especially for those who can transmit pathogens. In addition to being effective, these are not allowed to harm the environment and non-target organisms. In this context, some imidazolium salts are promising candidates due to their excellent larvicidal action against Aedes aegypti, however, the understanding of their impact on environment and non-target organisms is limited. Herein, the toxicity of two imidazolium salts (1-methyl-3-octadecylimidazolium chloride (C18MImCl) and 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (C16MImMeS)) were tested in Culex quinquefasciatus larvae and their (cyto)toxic potential in Lactuca sativa seeds, mouse lung fibroblasts, human keratinocytes and Wistar rats.C16MImMeS showed excellent larvicidal activity (LC50: 24 h: 5.751 µg/mL; 48 h: 4.613 µg/mL), but negatively influenced the Lactuca sativa germination rate and size of radicles and hypocotyls, together with other phytotoxic characteristics. C18MImCl also showed being a potent larvicidal (LC50: 24 h: 3.848 µg/mL; 48 h: 3.175 µg/mL), without presenting phytotoxicity against Lactuca sativa.C16MImMeS was more cytotoxic to mouse lung fibroblast and human keratinocyte cells than C18MImCl. Besides, the lethal median toxicity of 309 mg/kg of C18MImCl for oral application in Wistar rats suggests its safe application in related non-target organisms. Altogether, this is the first work showing the larvicidal potential of these IS against Culex quinquefasciatus, including phytotoxicity and (cyto)toxicity data that are important for their release in mosquito controlling formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Place Conditioning (PC) has been used to study the motivational effects of alcohol for almost 50 years, variables and situations in which alcohol induces PC in rats are still unclear, especially for short PC protocols (up to 10 conditioning trials). The aim of this systematic review was to predict primary outcomes (namely, conditioning failure, conditioned place aversion (CPA), and conditioned place preference (CPP)) of alcohol‐induced PC with male outbred rats. We sought relevant records in PUBMED and two other sources. Two reviewers independently assessed records for eligible articles (those meeting all inclusion criteria), selected alcohol‐induced PC experiments (those meeting no exclusion criteria) from eligible articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. We then conducted a predictive analysis of outcomes by examining procedure‐outcome relations according to variables known to affect associative learning, alcohol interventions in rats, and PC interventions themselves. We selected 192 experiments (133 short protocols, 27 long protocols, and 32 protocols with alcohol pre‐exposure) from 62 articles to compose the review. Rates of conditioning failure are mainly predicted by interactions of alcohol dose and the number of habituation sessions and conditioning trials. Different conditions (housing systems) and characteristics (age and weight) of animals predict CPA and CPP: higher rates of CPA are predicted by single‐housed, older, and heavier animals, while higher rates of CPP are predicted by group‐housed, younger, and lighter animals. We recommend settings for CPP induction in short protocols, discuss the broad theoretical and translational consequences of the predictive analysis for the use of PC in alcohol research, and specify variables needing more careful investigation. This review could improve our understanding of the results of alcohol‐induced PC with rats, refine our understanding of the motivational function of alcohol and alcohol‐seeking behavior triggered by environmental contexts, and open new avenues of research on their neurobiological basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passiflora incarnata L. (Passifloraceae) has been traditionally used for treatment of anxiety, insomnia, drug addiction, mild infections, and pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a commercial extract of P. incarnata in the analgesia induced by alcohol withdrawal syndrome in rats. In addition, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin-10 levels were evaluated in prefrontal cortex, brainstem, and hippocampus. Male adult rats received by oral gavage: (1: water group) water for 19 days, 1 day interval and water (8 days); (2: P. incarnata group) water for 19 days, 1 day interval and P. incarnata 200 mg/kg (8 days); (3: alcohol withdrawal group) alcohol for 19 days, 1 day interval and water (8 days); and (4: P. incarnata in alcohol withdrawal) alcohol for 19 days, 1 day interval and P. incarnata 200 mg/kg (8 days). The tail-flick and hot plate tests were used as nociceptive response measures. Confirming previous study of our group, it was showed that alcohol-treated groups presented an increase in the nociceptive thresholds after alcohol withdrawal, which was reverted by P. incarnata, measured by the hot plate test. Besides, alcohol treatment increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin-10 levels in prefrontal cortex, which was not reverted by P. incarnata. Considering these results, the P. incarnata treatment might be a potential therapy in the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the teratogenicity of the herbicide glyphosate-Roundup® (as commercialized in Brazil) to Wistar rats. Dams were treated orally with water or 500, 750 or 1000 mg/kg glyphosate from day 6 to 15 of pregnancy. Cesarean sections were performed on day 21 of pregnancy, and number of corpora lutea, implantation sites, living and dead fetuses, and resorptions were recorded. Weight and gender of the fetuses were determined, and fetuses were examined for external malformations and skeletal alterations. The organs of the dams were removed and weighed. Results showed a 50% mortality rate for dams treated with 1000 mg/kg glyphosate. Skeletal alterations were observed in 15.4, 33.1, 42.0 and 57.3% of fetuses from the control, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg glyphosate groups, respectively. We may conclude that glyphosate-Roundup® is toxic to the dams and induces developmental retardation of the fetal skeleton. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The possible reproductive adverse effects of the pesticide endosulfan on male offspring rats exposed in utero and during lactation were investigated. Dams were treated orally with 0, 0.5 or 1.5 mg of endosulfan/kg 21 days prior to mating, during the mating, pregnancy and lactation. Maternal and reproductive outcome data and male sexual development landmarks (testis descent and preputial separation) were assessed. Reproductive endpoints of the male offspring were examined at adulthood: sex organ weights, daily sperm production, spermatid number, sperm transit, sperm morphology and testosterone level. No signs of maternal toxicity were detected at the dose levels tested. Sexual development landmarks were also unaffected. Moreover, with the exception of a significant increase in the relative epididymis weight seen in the group treated with the lowest dose, we have not found any statistically significant adverse effect in the reproductive endpoints investigated at adulthood. The results of the present study indicate that pre and post-natal exposure to low doses of endosulfan (0.5 and 1.5 mg/kg) do not induce significant adverse effects in the reproductive system of male offspring Wistar rats at adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) is a toxin that causes neural damage in the striatum and can lead to the development of Huntington's disease manifestations in animal models. Several studies have shown genotoxicity related to the 3-NP treatment. This study investigated potential genotoxicity and mutagenicity that was induced by a low dose (6.25 mg/kg i. p.) 3-NP subacute treatment (daily, over 6 days) in a rat model. The arterial blood and the frontal cortex were analyzed by the comet assay and the bone marrow by micronucleus. Surprisingly, the 3-NP subacute treatment with the low dose did not show genotoxic or mutagenic effects. [Display omitted] • 3-NP subacute treatment with a low dose did not show genotoxic effects in the arterial blood. • The present work did not show genotoxic effects in the pre-frontal cortex. • There was no mutagenic effect in the bone marrow by the 3-NP subacute treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]