ABSTRACT
Increased human use of annatto (Bixa orellana L), a red yellow food colorant, demands generation of toxicity data. The toxic effects of annatto powder (bixin 27%) have been assessed following administration of a subacute regimen (4 weeks, 20 doses) in Wistar male and female rats. A full study with three dose levels was considered unnecessary since no sign of toxicity had been noted in a preliminary experiment with 1000 mg/kg body weight/day as was recommended by the OECD guideline. In this study, annatto administered by gavage at a dose level of 2000 mg/kg/day decreased male body weight gain, but had no effect on either food intake or food conversion efficiency. Haematological and plasma biochemical examination as well necropsy performed at the end of administration (29th day) and observation (43rd day) periods revealed no alterations related with annatto administration. Kidney apoptosis occurred in 20% treated female rats in restricted areas without proliferation or tubular segments modification. The precise nature of apoptosis was not investigated in the present study. These findings suggest that annatto was no toxic to the rat.
Subject(s)
Food Coloring Agents/toxicity , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Administration, Oral , Adrenal Glands/drug effects , Adrenal Glands/pathology , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Bixaceae , Carotenoids , Clinical Chemistry Tests , Female , Food Coloring Agents/administration & dosage , Hematologic Tests , Kidney/drug effects , Kidney/pathology , Liver/drug effects , Liver/pathology , Male , Organ Size/drug effects , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Toxicity TestsABSTRACT
Aflatoxinas säo um grupo de metabólitos tóxicos, produzidos principalmente pelos fungos Aspergillus flavus e Aspergillus parasiticus. No Brasil, estäo associados frequentemente a amendoim, algodäo, feijäo e milho e merecem atençäo por sua natureza carcinogênica. A aflatoxina B1 é a mais tóxica e está sempre presente em maior concentraçäo que G1, B2 e G2. O presente trabalho levanta a contaminaçäo de 25 amostras de gräos de milho coletadas em armazéns de pequenos produtores de regiäo de Irecê-BA(1985), por fungos aflatoxigênicos e aflatoxina B1, considerando que o produto é utilizado na alimentaçäo humana e animal. As amostras foram submetidas a exames fitopatológicos e químicos que revelaram a presença de cepas toxigênicas de A. parasiticus e A. flavus em 100% e 91,5% das amostras, respectivamente, e a ocorrência de aflatoxina B1 em níveis näo recomendados em 12% das amostras, o que as torna inadequadas para consumo
Subject(s)
Aflatoxins/analysis , Food Contamination , Zea mays , BrazilABSTRACT
A leguminosa indigofera suffruticosa Mill, apresenta potencial forrageiro. Folhas e Frutos foram extraídos com hexano e os extratos obtidos, administrados por via intraperitoneal em camundongos. Encontrou-se a dose tóxica de 5,0g/kg e 7,5g/kg para os extratos hexânicos de folha e fruto respectivamente. As principais alteraçöes foram observadas a nível hepático e pulmonar
