Antimicrobial and enzymatic activity of anemophilous fungi of a public university in Brazil

ABSTRACT To the fungal microbiota the UFPE and biotechnological potential enzymatic and antimicrobial production. Air conditioned environments were sampled using a passive sedimentation technique, the air I ratio and the presence of aflatoxigenic strains evaluated for ANVISA. Icelles were to determine the enzymatic activity of lipase, amylase and protease metabolic liquids to determine antimicrobial activity. Diversity was observed in all CAV environments, CFU/m3 ranged from 14 to 290 and I/E ratio from 0.1 to 1.5. The of the fungal genera were: Aspergillus (50%), Penicillium (21%), Talaromyces (14%), Curvularia and Paecilomyces (7% each). Aspergillus sydowii (Bainier & Sartory) Thom & Church presented enzymatic activity and the Talaromyces purpureogenus Samson, Yilmaz, Houbraken, Spierenb., Seifert, Peterson, Varga & Frisvad presented antibacterial activity against all bacteria that all environments present fungal species biodiversity no toxigenic or pathogenic fungi were found, according to ANVISA legislation for conditioned environments and airborne filamentous fungi present potential for enzymatic and antimicrobial activity.

Isolation and identification of toxigenic and non-toxigenic fungi in samples of medicinal plants from the market / Isolamento e identificação de fungos toxigênicos e não toxigênicos em amostras plantas medicinais do comércio

ABSTRACT: The consumption of preparations of medicinal plants has been increasing during the last decades in occidental societies. The presence of toxigenic fungi in a plant product may represent a potential risk of contamination, because of aflatoxins and ochratoxins. In this study, 12 samples of medicinal plants were analyzed in relation to the level of fungal contamination, and the presence of producers of ochratoxin A and aflatoxins was assessed by visualization of fungi using a cromatovisor in coconut milk. Most of the species found belong to the genus Cladosporium, Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. Species producing ochratoxin A were present in 2 samples (16.7%), Melissa and Hibiscus. Species producing aflatoxin were found in samples of Jacaranda decurrens (8.33%). This study suggests that herbs, if stored improperly, can provide the growth of fungi and should be examined before consumption.

RESUMO: O consumo das plantas medicinais vem aumentando nas últimas décadas nas sociedades ocidentais, porém, a presença de fungos toxigênicos nestas plantas pode representar um risco em potencial de contaminação devido à produção de aflatoxinas e ocratoxinas. Neste trabalho, 12 amostras de plantas medicinais foram analisadas em relação ao nível de contaminação por fungos, enquanto a presença de produtores de ocratoxina A e aflatoxinas foi avaliada pela visualização em cromatovisor dos fungos em meio de leite de coco. A maioria das espécies encontradas pertence aos gêneros Cladosporium, Fusarium, Aspergillus e Penicillium. Espécies produtoras de ocratoxina A estavam presentes em 2 amostras (16,7%), Melissa e Hibisco. Espécies produtoras de aflatoxina foram encontradas na amostra de Carobinha (8,33%). Este trabalho sugere que as ervas, sendo armazenadas inadequadamente, proporcionam o crescimento de fungos e, por isso, estes devem ser examinados antes do consumo.

Aflatoxin effetc on the oocysts morphometry and contribution on the morphology of Eimeria bateri Bhatia, Pandey and Pande, 1965 from the japanese quail Coturnix japonica in Brazil / Efeito da aflatoxina sobre a morfbmetria dos oocistos e contribuição para a morfologia de Eimeria bateri Bhatia, Pandey and Pande, 1965 da Codorna japonesa Coturnix japonica no Brasil

The purpose of this study was to characterize Eimeria bateri oocysts and to evaluate the aflatoxin effect in the morphometry of sporulated oocysts in Japanese quails infected naturally. Of a total of 50 quails naturally infected by E. bateri were randomly divided into two groups with 25 birds each. In one of them, quails were orally administered with aflatoxin in dose of 0.04 mg/kg body weight previously. Both experimental groups shed E. bateri oocysts. These oocysts were subspherical to ellipsoidal, 25.1 x 18.9 Lim, with bi-layered wall. Micropyle and residuum were absent, but one or more polar granules were present. Sporocysts elongate ovoid, 12.5 x 7.4 μm. Stieda and substieda bodies were present. Sporocyst residuum was dispersed and sporozoites presented a nucleus and a refractile body. Histograms confirmed the presence of a single species, E. bateri. Linear regression proved that E. bateri oocysts are polymorphic, due, basically, to shape of these oocysts. The comparative morphometry between two experimental groups demonstrated that the aflatoxin influenced significantly in the E. bateri oocysts.

O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar os oocistos de Eimeria bateri e avaliar o efeito da aflatoxina na morfometria destes oocistos em codornas japonesas naturalmente infectadas. Cinqüenta codornas naturalmente parasitadas por E. bateri foram separadas aleatoriamente em dois grupos com 25 aves cada. Um dos grupos foi intoxicado experimentalmente com aflatoxina, por via oral, na dose de 0,04 mg/kg de peso vivo. Os dois grupos experimentais eliminaram oocistos de E. bateri nas fezes. Esses oocistos foram de subesféricos a elipsóides, 25,1 x 18,9 Lm, com parede dupla. A micrópila e o resíduo estavam ausentes, mas um ou vários grânulos polares estavam presentes. Esporocistos ovóides alongados, 12,5 x 7,4 L m. Os corpos de Stieda e substieda estavam presentes. O resíduo do esporocisto estava disperso e os esporozoítas apresentaram um núcleo e um corpo refráctil. Os histogramas confirmaram a presença de uma única espécie, E. bateri. A regressão linear comprovou que os oocistos de E. bateri são polimórficos, devido, basicamente, à forma desses oocistos. A morfometria comparativa entre os dois grupos experimentais, demonstrou que a aflatoxina influiu significativamente nos oocistos de E. bateri.

Aflatoxinas en salud humana

Las micotoxinas son metabolitos secudarios de hongos toxigénicos que pueden contaminar alimentos de consumo humano y animal, constituyéndose en riesgo potencial de enfermedad; hoy se conocen aproximadamente 500, entre las que se encuentran las aflatoxinas. De ésta, se han identificado 18, siendo la más importante la aflatoxina B1, considerada sustancia cancérigena en animales de experimentación. Las aflatoxinas se encuentran en cereales, nueces, frutas y semillas oleaginosas. El consumo agudo puede producir emesis, dolor abdominal, edema pulmonar, infiltración grasa y necrosis hepática. El consumo crónico de bajas cantidades guarda relación con carcinoma he patocelular en humanos. Puede afectar también el sistama inmune, las células T son más susceptibles que las células B y el efecto desaparece el consumo de la aflatoxina. También puede encontrarse anemia, alteración de la coagulación, el tiempo de protrombina y el tiempo de recalcificación del plasma. En colombia no se ha profundizado sobre el tema. Se debe considerar el impacto que pueden tener las aflatoxinas sobre la salud humana y animal.

Preliminary study on formulation and application of aflatoxins-antidote

Chemical assay showed that the concentration of aflatoxin B1 was proved to be 250 ug/kg finisher feed. To testify the validity of this appropriate aflatoxins-antidote, 200 Lohman broilers aged 4 weeks and weighing approximately 1065 g each, were obtained and randomly distributed into equal four groups. Two groups only received single oral capsule daily for 30 successive days, meanwhile, they were fed on aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration containing 250 and 125 ug/kg feed for the high and low level treated groups, respectively. The other two groups were identified as positive and negative control groups. The negative group fed on a ration of 250 ug aflatoxin B1/kg, both control groups received no aflatoxins-antidote. Data showed that the performance of both treated groups showed an obvious resistance to aflatoxin B1-contamination. The average total body gain of both high and low level treated groups were 93.8 and 104.8% relative to the negative control group, while the corresponding figure obtained from the positive control group reduced up to 25.9% after 30 successive days of feeding on aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration. Similarly, the percentages of average feed conversion of both high and low level treated groups showed 104.3% and 94% relative to negative control, while the corresponding figure obtained from positive control was 353%. In other words, consuming 2244 and 2262 g aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration resulted in body weight gain of 800 and 894 g in the two treated groups, which received daily capsules of aflatoxins- antidote, while the average body weight gained from positive control consuming 2106 g was 221 g after the same period

A light & electron microscopic study on apoptotic bodies in acute aflatoxin B1 induced injury in the rat liver.

A subnecrogenic dose of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was injected intraperitoneally into 8-10 wk old male rats of the Holzman strain. Cytoplasmic and sinusoidal eosinophilic bodies were seen in the liver which appeared at 30 h and reached a maximum at 48 h. Electron microscopically some of the cytoplasmic structures were seen to be of mitochondrial origin whereas others resembled apoptotic bodies. The sinusoidal bodies were similar to apoptotic bodies.

Detoxification of aflatoxins in some food commodities and poultry ration

The purpose of this study was to devise a practical method to inactivate the aflatoxin in feed stuffs or rations. Physical methods used were dry heating at temperatures of 120, 160 and 180 C for 1,2 and 3 hours respectively, and wet heating at temperatures of 160 and 180 C for 1 and 2 hours respectively. The results of defoxification by these methods were not encouraging where the maximum reduction percents by dry or wet heating were 18 and 42% respectively. The chemical methods used were ammoniation and reaction with formaldehyde. Each of them gave excellent results in destroying aflatoxin almost completely. Good airing after ammoniation is very important to get rid of ammonia residues; formaldehyde residues were oxidised by potassium permanganate to a safe level