The controversial effects of dehydrated powder of Gracilaria birdiae as a food supplement to juvenile male rats

Author(s):Show less -

Cavalcante, Deborah ^[1] ; Garcia, Mariana ^[1] ; Aranha, Maria ^[1] ; Almeida, Andre ^[1] ; Merey, Felipe Mendes ^[2] ; do Amaral Crispim, Bruno ^[2] ; Barufatti, Alexeia ^[2] ; Pisani, Luciana ^[3] ; Fonseca, Gustavo ^[1] ; Braga, Anna Rafaela Cavalcante ^{[3, 4]} ; de Rosso, Veridiana Vera ^[5] ; Perobelli, Juliana ^{[1, 6]}

Affiliation

^[1] Fed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ciencias Mar, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ Grande Dourados UFGD, Fac Biol & Environm Sci, Lab Ecotoxicol & Genotox LECOGEN, Dourados, MS - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Biosci, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Chem Engn, Diadema, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Nutr & Food Serv Res Ctr, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[6] UNIFESP Inst Mar, Lab Expt Toxicol, Rua Dr Carvalho Mendonca 144, BR-11070100 Santos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY; v. 33, n. 3 MAR 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

The present study aimed to characterize in vitro antioxidant properties of red algae (Gracilaria birdiae) powder and to investigate its potential protective and antioxidant effects in male rats, with and without co-exposure to a ternary mixture of agrochemicals. The focus was on reproductive and DNA damage parameters, both known as vulnerable targets for oxidative stress induced by this class of toxicants. It is important to emphasize that the dehydrated powder of G. birdiae used in the present study is already commercialized for food purposes. In vitro tests revealed that G. birdiae dehydrated powder preserves important antioxidant features of the algae, demonstrating potential for use as food supplements. On the other hand, in vivo tests showed that dietary supplementation with 5% of the homogenate of dehydrated G. birdiae, per se, impaired spermatogenesis due to increased cell damage and consequent cell death in the seminiferous epithelium, without interfering with antioxidant enzymes and androgenic status of the animals. In addition, no beneficial or protective effect of G. birdiae homogenate was observed in animals co-exposed to the agrochemical mixture. Contrary to expectation, in the experimental conditions presented here, powder of G. birdiae was able to induce reproductive toxicity and provoke DNA damage. The data obtained call attention to the importance of discussing the use of food supplementation in the prevention and maintenance of health and the need for better regulating the processing procedures and market of natural supplements. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/23063-9 - Reproductive, endocrine, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of acephate, carbendazim and mancozeb, isolated or in mixture: study of juvenile toxicity in rats
• Grantee: Juliana Elaine Perobelli
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/10330-1 - Reproductive, endocrine, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of acephate, carbendazim and mancozeb isolated or in mixture: study of juvenile toxicity in rats
• Grantee: Deborah Navit de Carvalho Cavalcante
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Technical Training Program - Technical Training