PURPOSE: To assess weight changes in rats fed diets with different ratios of omegas 3, 6 and 9 submitted to colonic carcinogenesis induced by Azoxymethane (AOM). METHODS: Sixty rats with three weeks of life were distributed into five groups of specific diets containing 12 animals each: GI- Standard diet without adminstration of AOM, GII- Standard diet with adminstration of AOM; GIII- Hyperlipidic diet with adminstration of AOM; GIV-Normolipidic diet with adminstration of AOM; GV- Hypolipidic diet with adminstration of AOM. The weight and food intake of each group were assessed four times in each week throughout the experiment until euthanasia at 36th week. RESULTS: GI and GII had no significant difference in weight. GI showed a significant increase when compared to GIII, GIV and GV. GII also showed a significant increase when compared to GIII, GIV and GV. When comparing intake of GI as compared to GII no significant difference was found, however such groups had higher intake than groups III, IV and V. There were found no difference in weight when comparing amoung rats with and without cancer within each groups: GII, GIII, GIV and GV. CONCLUSIONS: Diets rich in omega 3, 6 and 9 reduced food intake and weight. Rats with colorectal cancer had no decrease in weight as compared to those without this condition in the same group.

O Brasil é um dos maiores produtores mundiais de tomate, porém grande parte da produção é perdida devido ao ataque de Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biótipo B. Entre as táticas de controle dessa praga num manejo integrado de pragas, pode-se relacionar a resistência de plantas. Avaliou-se a preferência para oviposição de B. tabaci biótipo B por 18 genótipos de tomateiro com diferentes densidades e tipos de tricomas utilizando-se dois métodos e estudou-se a influência dos tricomas nesta preferência, utilizando-se dois métodos para os experimentos de confinamento. Folíolos seccionados do terço superior dos tomateiros (primeiro método) e plantas com 30 dias de idade (segundo método) foram infestados com moscas-brancas durante 24 h. Para o primeiro experimento, foram realizados testes de correlação linear simples entre o número de insetos e de ovos e o número de tricomas nos tomateiros. O primeiro método foi melhor que o segundo, pois foi mais fácil de ser conduzido e demandou menos tempo para as avaliações, além disso, foi efetivo em discriminar o nível de resistência dos genótipos avaliados. Tricomas glandulares correlacionaram-se negativamente com adultos atraídos e com ovos, e positivamente com adultos capturados. Correlações negativas ocorreram entre o número de tricomas não-glandulares e o número de insetos capturados, e entre o número de tricomas totais e o número de insetos atraídos e capturados. Correlações positivas ocorreram entre o número de tricomas totais e o número de ovos cm-2 e de tricomas não-glandulares e o número de ovos. Ambos os métodos foram eficientes para discriminar os genótipos, principalmente os resistentes, com destaque para LA716, PI134417 e PI134418, que apresentaram altíssima antixenose para oviposição relacionada à presença de tricomas glandulares tipo IV. A preferência para oviposição de B. tabaci pelos genótipos LA1963 e NAV1062 está relacionada à alta densidade de tricomas não-glandulares tipo V.

Brazil is one of the main tomato producers worldwide. Nevertheless, 40 to 70% of the production is lost due to Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B biotype attacks. Resistant plant germplasm can be an important method for controlling this pest in an integrated pest management program. This research aimed to evaluate the no-choice ovipositional preference of B. tabaci B biotype on 18 tomato genotypes with different densities and types of trichomes testing two screening techniques and to determine the influence of trichomes on whitefly ovipositional preference. Two methods of confinement experiments were used. Leaflets detached from the upper third part of the tomato plants (first experiment) and 30-day-old plants (second experiment) were infested with whiteflies during 24 h. For the first experiment, simple linear correlation tests between the number of insects and eggs, and number of trichomes in the tomato genotypes were carried out. The first technique was better than the second one, as it was easier to carry out and the evaluation demanded less time and as well as was effective to discriminate the resistance level of the evaluated genotypes. Glandular trichomes had a negative correlation with attracted adults and number of eggs deposited, and a positive correlation with number of trapped insects. Negative correlations were observed between number of nonglandular trichomes and trapped insects, and also between total number of trichomes and attracted and trapped insects. Positive correlations were observed between number of total trichomes and eggs cm-2 and nonglandular trichomes and number of eggs. Both confinement methods efficiently discriminated whitefly oviposition among genotypes, especially the resistant ones. High levels of antixenosis for oviposition related to type IV glandular trichomes were exhibited by genotypes LA716, PI134417 and PI134418. The high level of ovipositional preference by B. tabaci for genotypes LA1963 and NAV1062 was related to a high density of type V nonglandular trichomes.

A procura de novos agentes terapêuticos provenientes de plantas medicinais para doenças psiquiátricas tem progredido significativamente na última década. Isso reflete num grande número de preparações herbárias para as quais o potencial psicoterapêutico tem sido avaliado em diversos modelos animais. O intuito desta revisão é fornecer uma ampla visão das plantas medicinais que apresentam efeitos terapêuticos significantes em modelos animais de doenças psiquiátricas, especificamente os distúrbios da ansiedade. Um considerável número de constituintes herbários cujos efeitos comportamentais e ações farmacológicas têm sido bem caracterizados podem ser bons candidatos para futuras investigações que podem resultar em uso clínico, merecendo, portanto, uma maior atenção em estudos posteriores.

A search for novel pharmacotherapy from medicinal plants for psychiatric illnesses has progressed significantly in the past decade. This is reflected in the large number of herbal preparations for which psychotherapeutic potential has been evaluated in a variety of animal models. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of medicinal plants that have significant therapeutic effects in animal models of psychiatric illnesses, specifically anxiety disorders. A considerable number of herbal constituents whose behavioral effects and pharmacological actions have been well characterized may be good candidates for future investigations that may result in clinical use, thus deserving increased attention in future studies.

Euphorbia heterophylla, também conhecida como amendoim-bravo ou leiteira, é considerada planta invasora importante em mais de 56 países, inclusive no Brasil, tendo acarretado perdas de até 33 % na cultura da soja. Fenotipicamente, é uma espécie de características variáveis, especialmente em relação ao formato do limbo foliar. Esta variabilidade fenotípica tem sido utilizada para diferenciar e classificar as plantas, sugerindo a vários autores que a leiteira seria, de fato, constituída por diferentes espécies. Para estudar a variabilidade genética a nível de DNA entre plantas de Euphorbia heterophylla, que apresentam folhas morfologicamente diferentes, foram analisadas dez plantas diferentes coletadas em campos de soja, em Londrina/PR. As plantas foram transplantadas para casa-devegetação e o DNA das folhas foi extraído para análise pela técnica de RAPD. Vinte seis diferentes "primers", de dez nucleotídeos de sequência aleatória, geraram total de 102 bandas de DNA, sendo 38 delas polimórficas. A distância genética entre os indivíduos foi calculada em função da presença e da ausência das bandas, variando de 1 a 39% entre plantas. A análise de agrupamento dividiu as plantas em dois grupos, considerando limite de distância relativa de 22%. Os grupos gerados separaram nitidamente as plantas quanto ao formato do limbo foliar (estreito ou arredondado) e quanto á ramificação (densa ou normal).

Euphorbia heterophylla is an important weed affecting the performance of annual and perennial crops. It is native from tropical and subtropical regions in the American continent, and has been detected at high densities in 20 different countries worldwide, and at low densities in other 40 countries. In Brazil, it has been inclued among the ten most important weeds affecting different crops, causing yield losses up to 33% in soybean fields. Phenotypically, this species is extremely variable, especially in relation to leaf shape and size, which can vary among and within populations. This variability suggested to several authors that E. heterophylla was, in fact, formed by different species. To systematize the study of E. heterophylla and to determine if the phenotypic variability correspond to modifications at the DNA level, we analyzed 10 different plants collected in the soybean field in Londrina (Parana, Brazil). The plants were transplanted to the greenhouse and leaf DNA was extracted for RAPD technique analysis. Twenty-six RAPD "primers" different amplified 102 DNA bands, 38 of them being polymorphic. Genetic distances among the individuals were calculated based on the presence (1) or absence (0) of those bands. Cluster analyses divided the plants into two distinct groups considering an upper limit of 22% relative genetic distance. The genetic distances among the plants were between 1 and 39%, in agreement with the variability obseved at the morphological level.

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is the most important maize insect pest in Brazil and its damage can reduce yield up to 34%. The objective of this work was to utilize the PCR technique to Identify Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t) strains that control S. frugiperda in maize crops. Bioassays showed that 16 strains were very effective against S. frugiperda, 15 of them collected from soil samples and one (T09) obtained at the Institute Pasteur. The DNA of these strains were probed with cryI general primers and their proteins were analised by SDS-PAGE eletrophoresis. All strains present positive results for cryI genes. To further characterize these strains, specific cryI primers were employed. PCR technique showed that some strains harbour the same cryI genes. The only difference was the amplification of an unexpected fragment of approximately 160bp when a mixture of cryIB and cryID specific primers was used. Analysis by phase contrast microscope showed that crystal proteins produced by these strains were all bipyramidal crystals. Also, eltrophoretic analysis of proteins by SDS-PAGE showed the same protein banding pattern for most of the strains.