Many wild plants of the Cerrado bioma are used as medicinal plants. The pequi (Caryocar brasiliensis) is representative of those equipped with molluscicidal action against schistosomiasis. This paper sets out to verify the toxic action of pequi fractions in other aquatic animals before they are used in rivers or lakes. Analysis were made of the alterations to the mitotic index of epithelia cells in the gills of guppy (Poecilia vivipara) exposed to ethyl-acetate fraction of leaf pequi and bark. Animals exposed to ethyl-acetate fraction (leaf), no significant change was observed in the mitotic index when compared with the control group, whereas in fish exposed to ethyl-acetate fraction (bark) we detected an increase in mitotic index of the epithelia cells in two regions of the branchial filaments. Thus, ethyl-acetate fractions (leaf) could be used against schistosomiasis, given their high efficacy and low action as piscicide.
Gills; Epithelia cells; Mitotic index; Fractions of pequi; Toxicity
