ABSTRACT
The present study was performed to evaluate the protective effect of selenium (Se) against penconazole (PEN)-induced oxidative stress in the cardiac tissue of adult rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six each. The first group represented the controls. For the second group (PEN), no treatment was performed during the first 6 days, and then, the rats received intraperitoneally 67 mg/kg body weight (bw) of PEN every 2 days from day 7 until day 15, the sacrifice day. For the third group (Se + PEN), Se was administered daily through the diet at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg of diet for 15 days. Rats of this group received also every 2 days PEN (67 mg/kg bw) from day 7 until day 15. The fourth group (Se) received daily, through the diet, Se (0.5 mg/Kg of diet) during 15 days. Our results showed that Se reduced significantly the elevated cardiac levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl following PEN treatment, and attenuated DNA fragmentation induced by this fungicide. In addition, Se modulated the alterations of antioxidant status: enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) and nonenzymatic (glutathione and vitamin C) antioxidants in the heart of PEN-treated rats. This trace element was also able to alleviate perturbations of lipid profile. The protective effect of selenium was further evident through the histopathological changes produced by PEN in the heart tissue. Taken together, our results indicated that Se might be beneficial against PEN-induced cardiac oxidative damage in rats.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Fungicides, Industrial/toxicity , Heart/drug effects , Myocardium/metabolism , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Selenium/pharmacology , Triazoles/toxicity , Animals , Cardiotoxicity/prevention & control , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Male , Myocardium/enzymology , Myocardium/pathology , Protein Carbonylation , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
In this paper, starch was extracted from fresh pasta by-product (PS) and its chemical composition and physical and microscopic characteristics were determined. Commercial wheat starch (CS) was used as reference. In general, purity was similar between starches studied. However, others compounds such as protein, lipid and ash were significantly different. PS starch granules had large lenticular-shape (25-33 µm) and small spherical-shape (5-8 µm). The pH and color of PS starch were similar to those reported for CS starch. On the other hand, PS had higher water absorption capacity, viscosity and cooking stability than CS. The gelatinization temperature of PS was similar to that of CS (60 and 61 °C). At high temperature (90 °C) both starches had similar rheological behavior. The results achieved suggest that PS starch has potential for application in food systems requiring high processing temperatures such the manufacture of sugar snap cookie. The effects of PS starch addition on the dough making stage and the final cookie quality were analyzed. Improvements in dough cohesiveness (24 %) and springiness (10 %) were significant relative to those of CS dough. Texture profile analysis confirmed the rheological changes.
ABSTRACT
Olive Cake (OC) generated by the olive oil industries, well implanted in Tunisia, represents a major disposal and potentially severe pollution problem. This work presents the study of bioconversion of OC in solid state fermentation with the medicinal mushroom, Fomes fomentarius so as to upgrade its nutritional values and digestibility for its use as ruminants feed. The fungus was cultured on OC for 7-30 d, and subsequently the chemical composition, lignocellulolytic enzyme activities and in vitro digestibility of the resultant substrate were determined. The results obtained showed an increase in the crude protein ranging from 6% to 22% for the control and for treated OC, respectively. Significant (P<0.05) decreases in the values of neutral detergent fiber (hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin), acid detergent fiber (lignin and cellulose) and acid detergent lignin were detected (23%, 13% and 10%, respectively). The estimated in vitro digestibility improved from 9% (control) to 25% (treated OC). The present findings revealed F. fomentarius to be an efficient organism for lignocellulolytic enzymes production and simultaneous enhancement in crude protein and in vitro digestibility of OC.
