Supplementation with Moringa oleifera Lam leaf and seed flour during the pregnancy and lactation period of Wistar rats: Maternal evaluation of initial and adult neurobehavioral development of the rat progeny.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Moringa oleifera Lam. (M. oleifera) is a tree species of Indian origin popularly known as the "tree of life". In various cultures, it is used by pregnant women to increase milk production, yet studies on its effects during pregnancy and lactation are lacking. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the nutraceutical aspects of flours produced from the leaves and seeds of M. oleifera, and to evaluate the effect of supplementation of pregnant Wistar rats during the gestation and lactation period, with the aim of studying the weight gain and neonatal parameters of the pregnant rats, as well as effects on the neurobehavioral development and memory in their offspring. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The flour supplementation was conducted at a concentration of 100 mg per kg of animal body weight. For the memory tests, the Open Field Habituation test was performed and repeated after seven days. The Object Recognition test was conducted with the animal exposed to the open field in short and long familiarization sessions. The data obtained were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests for non-parametric data and one-way and two-way ANOVA for parametric data. RESULTS: Flour produced from both the leaf and seed of M. oleifera was found to contain significant amounts of nutrients (protein, fibre, carbohydrates, etc.), making them suitable for supplementation. The exposure of pregnant rats to M. oleifera leaf and seed flours did not affect weight gain, did not have harmful effects on the birth of offspring, and did not result in abortions or mutations in the offspring. Regarding the supplemented group's offspring, early maturation of the senses in the offspring compared to the control group was observed in all tests were conducted; indicating that supplementation positively impacted cognitive development. Further, the offspring of the supplemented rats presented reduced locomotion and greater exploration of new objects compared to the control group offspring, indicating positive effects on learning. CONCLUSION: This study describes for the first time the beneficial effects on pregnant Wistar rats and their offspring of maternal supplementation with flour products from the leaves and seeds of M. oleifera.

Isotermas de dessorção da casca do maracujá (Passiflora edulis Sims): determinação experimental e avaliação de modelos matemáticos / Desorption isotherms of passion fruit peel (Passiflora edulis Sims): experimental determination and mathematical model evaluation

A produção de proteínas microbianas sobre a casca de maracujá visando à produção de suplemento protéico para animais é uma alternativa encontrada para o grande desperdício desse resíduo agroindustrial. Através das isotermas de dessorção da casca do maracujá, foi verificado que as condições de umidade inicial para o crescimento de microrganismos neste resíduo por meio da fermentação semi-sólida deverá ser acima de 55 por cento (base úmida) e a faixa de umidade ideal para o armazenamento do resíduo em torno de 5,3 por cento (base úmida).

The microbial protein production on passion fruit peel shell as an animal protein supplement production is an alternative found out to avoid the large wastage of agri-industrial residues. Through the desorption isotherms of passion fruit peel, it is verified that for the microorganism growth by solid-state fermentation on this residue, the initial moisture content condition should be above 55 percent (wet basis). The ideal moisture content range for residue storage is around 5.3 percent (wet basis).