Prospecting of the Antioxidant Activity from Extracts Obtained from Chañar (Geoffroea decorticans) Seeds Evaluated In Vitro and In Vivo Using the Tenebrio molitor Model.

Geoffroea decorticans, commonly known as Chañar, is a native Chilean plant widely used in folk medicine for its expectorant, pain relief, and antinociceptive properties. This study explored the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and protective effects of its ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (EA) seed extracts against oxidative stress induced by copper sulfate, using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the extracts. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) identified significant components such as phytol, alpha-tocopherol, vitexin, and rutin, with the EE being particularly rich in phytol and vitexin. Antioxidant assays-measuring the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging, and copper and iron chelation-confirmed their potent antioxidant capabilities. Both extracts were non-cytotoxic and provided protection against CuSO4-induced oxidative stress in the 3T3 cell line. Additionally, the use of Tenebrio molitor as an invertebrate model underscored the extracts' antioxidant and protective potentials, especially that of the EE. In conclusion, this study highlights the significant antioxidant and protective properties of Chañar seed extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract, in both in vitro and in vivo models.

Endemic shrimp Macrobrachium pantanalense as a test species to assess potential contamination by pesticides in Pantanal (Brazil).

Pantanal is a biome characterized by an extraordinary diversity and abundance of wildlife and houses several endemic species such as the freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium pantanalense. However, the increase in agriculture and husbandry activities in the region has contributed with residues of pesticides reaching aquatic systems. The main objective of this study is to assess the sensitivity of the endemic shrimp M. pantanalense compared with other freshwater species: the shrimp M. amazonicum, the crustacean Daphnia similis and the fish Danio rerio. The sensitivity of these organisms was assessed through acute exposure to copper and cypermethrin (through the formulation Barrage®, widely used in Pantanal). For copper the species sensitivity decreased in the following order: D. similis (48 h-EC50 0.051 mg/L) > M. pantanalense > D. rerio > M. amazonicum (48 h-LC50 26.34 mg/L). Copper caused reduced length of shrimps and zebrafish and reduced heartbeat of zebrafish embryos. For cypermethrin the species sensitivity decreased in the following order: M. pantanalense (96 h-LC50 0.05 µg/L) > M. amazonicum > D. similis > D. rerio (144 h-LC50 1680 µg/L). Major effects of cypermethrin included reduced length of shrimps and zebrafish, as well as early hatching and increased incidence of developmental deformities in zebrafish embryos. This study highlights the importance of using endemic species for risk evaluations in sensitive biomes such as Pantanal. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of testing pesticides toxicity as commercial formulations. Furthermore, we suggest that the endemic shrimp species M. pantanalense can be successfully used as a test species in ecotoxicology.