Echium Plantagineum Research Articles

Populational segregation of Echium plantagineum L. based on seed oil fatty acid ratios as chemotaxonomical marker sets

This study examines fatty acid variations within Echium plantagineum L. populations in northwestern Türkiye. Significant differences in fatty acid ratios between locations suggest their potential for population segregation using chemometric data as a conceptual approach. Seed oil content ranged from 17 % to 29 %, with PUFAs being the most abundant group (60–75 %). SFA and MUFA concentrations ranged from 10 % to 15 % and 11–19 %, respectively. Total n3 and n6 fatty acids were 35–50.5 % and 22–32 % individually. USFA levels varied from 76 % to 87 %. GLA (9.26 %) and SDA (10.09 %) were notable. While overall fatty acid profiles showed no location-based differences, significant variations were observed in individual major fatty acids, unusual fatty acids, and certain ratios (e.g., SDA/GLA, USFA/SFA, PUFA/MUFA, n3/n6). These variations may aid in taxonomical delineation and population discrimination. Given the species' broad distribution and rich gene pool, high-yielding genotypes with desirable fatty acid profiles could be identified for agricultural purposes and biotechnological crop improvement.

Comparative Analysis of Shikonin and Alkannin Acyltransferases Reveals Their Functional Conservation in Boraginaceae.

Shikonin and its enantiomer, alkannin, are bioactive naphthoquinones produced in several plants of the family Boraginaceae. The structures of these acylated derivatives, which have various short-chain acyl moieties, differ among plant species. The acylation of shikonin and alkannin in Lithospermum erythrorhizon was previously reported to be catalyzed by two enantioselective BAHD acyltransferases, shikonin O-acyltransferase (LeSAT1) and alkannin O-acyltransferase (LeAAT1). However, the mechanisms by which various shikonin and alkannin derivatives are produced in Boraginaceae plants remain to be determined. In the present study, evaluation of six Boraginaceae plants identified 23 homologs of LeSAT1 and LeAAT1, with 15 of these enzymes found to catalyze the acylation of shikonin or alkannin, utilizing acetyl-CoA, isobutyryl-CoA or isovaleryl-CoA as an acyl donor. Analyses of substrate specificities of these enzymes for both acyl donors and acyl acceptors and determination of their subcellular localization using Nicotiana benthamiana revealed a distinct functional differentiation of BAHD acyltransferases in Boraginaceae plants. Gene expression of these acyltransferases correlated with the enantiomeric ratio of produced shikonin/alkannin derivatives in L. erythrorhizon and Echium plantagineum. These enzymes showed conserved substrate specificities for acyl donors among plant species, indicating that the diversity in acyl moieties of shikonin/alkannin derivatives involved factors other than the differentiation of acyltransferases. These findings provide insight into the chemical diversification and evolutionary processes of shikonin/alkannin derivatives.

Effects of sowing date on photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence and yield of different Echium plantagineum L. cultivars

The seed oil of Echium plantagineum L. is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. With the gradual development of the value of echium oil in food, medical care and cosmetics, the corresponding market demand has also increased. The selection of suitable cultivars and the increase of yield per unit area has also become one of the main objectives of current breeding and cultivation of E. plantagineum. To effectively use the local photothermal resources, to improve the use of light energy by E. plantagineum, and to enhance the growth and yield of E. plantagineum. E. plantagineum cultivars Blue Bedder and Mixed Bedding were used as research subjects to study the effects of different sowing dates (1 May, 8 May, 15 May, 22 May and 29 May) on the photosynthetic characteristics and yield of E. plantagineum. Under the same cultivar conditions, with the delay in sowing date, the leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD), photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal limitation value (Ls), photochemical quenching (qP), electron transfer rate (ETR), actual photochemical efficiency (ΦpsII) and yield of Blue Bedder decreased and reached a maximum at T1, while the SPAD, Pn, Tr, water use efficiency (WUE), Ls, initial fluorescence (Fo), maximum fluorescence (Fm), qP, ETR, ΦpsII and yield of Mixed Bedding reached the maximum at T4. Blue Bedder should be sown early at T1 and Mixed Bedding late at T4 during planting, which will help to improve the photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield of E. plantagineum.

Intraspecific size shifts in generalist bumblebees and flowers lead to low functional consequences

AbstractBody size is a trait that can affect plant–pollinator interaction efficiency and plant reproductive success. We explored the impact of intraspecific size shifts on the interactions between pollinators and flowering plants under controlled conditions. We considered two development conditions leading to the production of large and small individual flowers of Borago officinalis and Echium plantagineum. We also used the natural variability of worker size within bumblebee colonies to isolate small and large workers. We performed a fully crossed experiment with the two flower sizes of each plant species and the two sizes of bumblebee workers. Our results show that the size of both partners did not affect bee foraging behavior in most of the evaluated parameters and both bee sizes were equally efficient in depositing pollen. Significant differences were found only in pollen deposition across the life of a flower in small flowers of B. officinalis, with the greatest quantity of pollen deposited by small bees. We did not find a relationship between pollinator size and plant fitness. Our results suggest that generalist plant–pollinator interactions may be resilient to future potential mismatches in the size of the partners but remain to be tested if they are still resilient under the new environmental conditions resulting from global changes.

Mapping Invasive Herbaceous Plant Species with Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery: Echium plantagineum in a Mediterranean Shrubland as a Case Study

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a serious threat to biodiversity, agriculture, health, and economies globally. Accurate mapping of IAPs is crucial for their management, to mitigate their impacts and prevent further spread where possible. Remote sensing has become a valuable tool in detecting IAPs, especially with freely available data such as Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. Yet, remote sensing methods to map herbaceous IAPs, which tend to be more difficult to detect, particularly in shrubland Mediterranean-type ecosystems, are still limited. There is a growing need to detect herbaceous IAPs at a large scale for monitoring and management; however, for countries or organizations with limited budgets, this is often not feasible. To address this, we aimed to develop a classification methodology based on optical satellite data to map herbaceous IAP’s using Echium plantagineum as a case study in the Fynbos Biome of South Africa. We investigate the use of freely available Sentinel-2 data, use the robust non-parametric classifier Random Forest, and identify the most important variables in the classification, all within the cloud-based platform, Google Earth Engine. Findings reveal the importance of the shortwave infrared and red-edge parts of the spectrum and the importance of including vegetation indices in the classification for discriminating E. plantagineum. Here, we demonstrate the potential of Sentinel-2 data, the Random Forest classifier, and Google Earth Engine for mapping herbaceous IAPs in Mediterranean ecosystems.

Resilience of bumblebee foraging behavior despite colony size reduction.

Foraging behavior is driven by diverse factors, notably life history traits. Foraging strategies are particularly complex among eusocial species such as bumblebees, because they depend primarily on the needs of the colony, rather than on individual's needs. Colony size, i.e. the number of workers in a colony vary a lot among eusocial insects. While a large colony can be adaptive, several drivers can strongly decrease colony size, like pesticides or high temperatures. In this study, we used the bumblebee Bombus terrestris to assess if workers adapted their foraging behavior to such rapid decreases in colony size. We conducted the foraging experiments with two plant species commonly used by bumblebees: Borago officinalis and Echium plantagineum. Several foraging parameters were measured: foraging time, number of foraging trips, number of workers foraging, handling time and visiting rate. Despite a drastic reduction in colony size, nearly all the foraging behavior parameters were unaffected by the colony size reduction. Colonies that were subject to a large decrease in workers instead displayed high resilience and behavioral plasticity by quickly increasing the proportion of foragers. Ultimately, further research should assess if this consistency in foraging behavior also allows bumblebee colonies to maintain both the efficiency of the resources collection and pollination.

Evolução das enfermidades tóxicas em bovinos na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul: distribuição espacial e tendência em 42 anos

ABSTRACT: Several toxic diseases cause mortality in cattle in southern Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The aim of this study was to carry out a comparative analysis to determine the evolution of the main intoxications that occurred in cattle in southern Rio Grande do Sul from 1979 to 1999 and from 2000 to 2020. The spatial distribution and trend of occurrence of these intoxications over the 42 years in southern Rio Grande do Sul were determined using data from the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Federal University of Pelotas (LRD-UFPel), which will make it possible to predict their occurrence in the coming years. From January 1979 to December 1999, 3,753 bovine materials were received for diagnosis at LRD-UFPel, and 3,653 cases were received from 2000 to 2020. Of the total number of materials received, 394 were diagnosed as intoxications, with 140 cases from 1979 to 1999 and 252 cases from 2000 to 2020. Out of 140 cases diagnosed in the first 21 years of operation of the LRD-UFPel, 113 (80.7%) were poisoning by plants, 22 (15.7%) by fungi outbreaks, and five (3.57%) by chemical substances. From 2000 to 2020, of the 252 diagnosed outbreaks 224 (88.8%) were caused by toxic plants, 10 (3.96%) by fungi, 12 (4.76%) by chemical substances, and six (2.38%) by insects. In the temporal trend analysis, a significant linear trend was observed with values of p=0.03 and an annual percentage change (APC) of 2.5 for the increase in the number of diagnoses of poisoning in general over the 42 years of the study. When analyzing the temporal trend of poisoning by Senecio spp., there was an increase in the occurrence of the diagnosis, with different characteristics and inflection points over time, with an annual growth rate of 9% in diagnoses during the first 21 years. There was a decrease in the occurrence of poisoning by Solanum fastigiatum, Echium plantagineum, and Claviceps paspali. Furthermore, poisoning by Ramaria flavo-brunnescens and Baccharis coridifolia maintained a similar percentage throughout the study period. It is concluded that toxic diseases will likely remain important causes of cattle death in the region.

Bioactivity of plants eaten by wild birds against laboratory models of parasites and pathogens

Plants are not only used as energy and nutrient resources for herbivores. Plants can be ingested because of their activity against host parasites and other pathogens. This so-called medicinal role of plants is well reported in ethnopharmacology and under-reported in wild animals. More studies on wild animals are needed because any plant in the world contains bioactive compounds, and probably all plants, no matter how toxic they are, experience herbivory. For example, we tested the activity of extracts and essential oils from Papaver rhoeas and Echium plantagineum against a selection of laboratory pathogens because Great bustards Otis tarda preferred these plants during the mating season, with male fecal droppings showing a higher frequency of P. rhoeas particles than the fecal droppings of females. We hypothesized that P. rhoeas could be helpful for males in the mating season if any part of this plant harbors bioactivity against parasites and other pathogens. Males’ immune system is weakened during the mating season because of their investment in secondary sexual characters and sexual display. As a first exploration of the bioactivity of these plants, we evaluated extracts of both plants against a sample of laboratory models, including a flagellated protozoon (Trichomonas gallinae), a nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) and a fungus (Aspergillus niger). Non-polar and polar extracts of the aerial parts of P. rhoeas, especially the extracts of flowers and capsules, and the extracts of leaves and flowers of E. plantagineum showed activity against nematodes and trichomonads. The bioactivity of plants against parasites could explain the foraging behavior of stressed animals. The chemical communication underpinning the capacity of fauna to recognize those plants is far less known.

Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of 1,3-diacylglycerols containing stearidonic, γ-linolenic and α-linolenic acids in a solvent-free system

1,3-Diacylglycerols (1,3-DAG) are minor components in edible oils with potential for the management of overweight and obesity. In this work, 1,3-DAG containing stearidonic acid (SDA), γ-linolenic acid (GLA), and α-linolenic acid (ALA), were synthesized by lipase-mediated catalysis following a Taguchi experimental design. SDA, GLA, and ALA are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) able to act as precursors of anti-inflammatory lipid mediators in the human body and may help with prevention or relief of inflammatory diseases. Solvent-free synthesis of 1,3-DAG was successfully performed by esterifying glycerol with free fatty acids (FFA) obtained from Echium plantagineum seed oil. Crude reaction products were further purified by saponification. Two lipases (Lipozyme® RM-IM and Lipozyme® 435) and three variables (substrate molar ratio, lipase load and reaction time) were used to optimize the reaction conditions. At the optimal conditions, 88.7 mol% of DAG was produced (68.0 mol% 1,3-DAG and 20.7 mol% 1,2-DAG) using Lipozyme® 435 at 60 °C, a glycerol:FFA molar ratio of 1:3, a lipase load of 2.0 wt%, and 4 h reaction time. Proportions of SDA, GLA and ALA in the 1,3-DAG were 32.7, 32.3 and 22.0% respectively. The synthesized 1,3-DAG have potential as functional ingredients in foods for weight and obesity management.

Echiumin E, an Aryl Dihydronaphthalene Lignan from the Australian Invasive Plant Paterson's Curse (Echium plantagineum).

A new aryl dihydronaphthalene lignan, echiumin E (1), and four known compounds, echiumin A, globoidnan A, (-)-rabdosiin, and rosmarinic acid (2-5), were isolated from the Australian invasive plant Echium plantagineum (Paterson's curse) for the first time. Echiumin E (1) was characterized by 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy and MS spectrometry, with its absolute configuration assigned through comparison of experimental and TDDFT-calculated ECD data. Echiumin E (1) along with compounds 3-5 were screened in vitro against three cancer cell lines (SH-SY5Y, HeLa, and PC-3) and a prostate stromal (normal) cell line (WPMY-1) using a resazurin reduction assay. Echiumin E (1) was found to be active toward HeLa cells (IC50 0.21 μM).

Echium vulgare and Echium plantagineum: A Comparative Study to Evaluate Their Inclusion in Mediterranean Urban Green Roofs

Green roofs (GRs) are proposed to offset against numerous environmental and socio-economic concerns associated with climate change and urban sprawl. In Mediterranean urban areas, to protect and conserve biodiversity through GRs, the use of native plant species from arid environments and with shallow roots is generally recommended. In north Europe, Echium vulgare L. is widely used on GRs for its tolerance to abiotic stresses and its attractiveness for bees; unfortunately, since this species requires cold winters to induce flowering and warm wet summers for vegetative growths, its adaptability to Mediterranean GRs has been questioned. The current study is based on the hypothesis that Echium plantagineum L. can adapt better to the Mediterranean environment than E. vulgare and offer blooms to pollinators, thus providing the important urban ecosystem service (UES) of protecting entomofauna biodiversity. To compare the adaptability of E. plantagineum vs. E. vulgare, both Echium species were grown and studied on the extensive GR installed at ENEA Casaccia Research Center, in the north of Rome, Lazio, Italy. The comparative analysis of the GR performance of the two species was based on several plant-related traits, including seed morphology, rosette stage, inflorescence, flower and root-related traits, and their biological life cycle, most of them showing significant differences (for example, rosette area was 1.42-fold major in E. plantagineum than in E. vulgare). The information provided in this manuscript will be useful to update the herbarium records for conservation biology. A dramatic water stress was purposely applied in the GR before the end of the hot summer season, and while E. plantagineum faced with success the imposed dehydration (88.4% vegetation cover), E. vulgare did not (7.5% vegetation cover), presumably because of its biennial life cycle which did not allow it to complete seed maturation (only 46.9% percentage mature seeds in E. vulgare respect to 89.5% in E. plantagineum). In summary, as the main result, this work shows that in Mediterranean areas, the inclusion of E. plantagineum in seed mixes for flower meadow GRs could represent a valuable alternative to E. vulgare in temperate areas, providing a safeguard for pollinators and allowing water and energy saving.

The Nutritional Dynamics of Common Weeds in the Rangelands of the Akdağ Mountains, Samsun

In this study, common weed species (Anthemis sp., Anthemis tinctoria L., Pilosella hoppeana Schultes, Doranicum orientale Hoffm, Muscari neglectum Guss. ex Ten., Ornithogalum armeniacum Baker, Ornithogalum narbonense L., Ornithogalum wiedemannii Boiss., Anchusa azurea Miller, Echium plantagineum L., Echium vulgare L., Ajuga orientalis L., Stachys germenica L., Juncus sp., Anacamptis pyramidalis L., Ophrys apifera Huds., Carex panicea L., Ranunculus sp., Hypericum perforatum L., Primula elatior L. Hill., and Galium rotundifolium L.) of the rangelands of Akdağ mountains, Samsun were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). These species were collected at least three times in two consecutive years. The proximate nutrients (organic matter, ash, crude protein, ether extract, neutral and acid detergent fibre, non-fibrous carbohydrate and hemicellulose), neutral detergent fibre properties (nitrogen-free neutral detergent fibre and in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility), and forage quality indicators (digestible dry matter, dry matter intake, metabolizable energy, net energy lactation, estimated net energy, total digestible nutrients, relative feed value, and relative forage quality) were assessed by chemical analysis and empirical equations. There were significant variations in the nutritional dynamics among the weed species. The PCA results demonstrated a relationship between the dietary dynamics assessed. Component 1 (65.5%) and component 2 (14.5%) described 80.0% of the total variation, with eigenvalues of 11.788 and 2.609 in the weed species, respectively. The loadings plot of components shows that most forage quality indicators were distributed to Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 4. Three clusters are observed from the CA for the weeds with significant linkage distance, indicating relatively high independence for each cluster. Due to high variation in their nutritional dynamics, the weed species (P. elatior, O. wiedemannii, O. narbonense, and G. rotundifolium) were more similar on component 1 ordination and in Cluster 1 of the dendrogram. In conclusion, our results suggest that the highlighted species have significant potential for grazing livestock as forages and could fulfilling the possible forage gap in the grazing system.

The complete plastome of Echium plantagineum L. (Boraginaceae), the first chloroplast genome belonging to the Echium genus

Besides being a common weed, the presence of Echium plantagineum L. in food and feed commodities can represent a safety hazard due to their content in pyrrolizidine alkaloids. In this study, the complete chloroplast of E. plantagineum isolate BPTPS251 is described, being the first available plastome from an isolate belonging to the Echium genus. The chloroplast genome is 149,776 bp in length with 37.5% GC content, displaying a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeats regions (25,754 bp each), separated by a large single-copy (80,978 bp) and a small single-copy (17,290 bp) regions. A total of 131 genes were predicted, including 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 86 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of E. plantagineum under the Boraginaceae family, belonging to the Boraginales order. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies, as well as DNA barcoding applications for food and feed safety purposes.

A new urea adducts method for PUFA concentration using green food grade solvents and avoiding ethyl carbamate formation

This study aimed to selectively enrich stearidonic acid (SDA) together with γ-linolenic acid (GLA) in Echium plantagineum oil by urea complexation. The complexation process at room temperature was carried out replacing common organic solvents, such as hexane and ethanol, by alternative compounds, included in Green Solvent and Food Grade categories, adapting this process towards the principles of Green Chemistry. This substitution was also intended to avoid the generation of the toxic compound ethyl carbamate. Among all the solvents studied, the mixture propionic acid and α-pinene provided the best results, leading to a final product comprised of ∼99% of PUFA, with ∼45% SDA (∼14% in the original oil), and without apparition of ethyl carbamate. The procedure was tested on other raw materials (salmon and microalgae oils). The solvent was efficiently recuperated from the liquid phase (∼87% recovery) and reutilized once with almost identical results.

Isolation of Echimidine and Its C-7 Isomers from Echium plantagineum L. and Their Hepatotoxic Effect on Rat Hepatocytes.

Echimidine is the main pyrrolizidine alkaloid of Echium plantagineum L., a plant domesticated in many countries. Because of echimidine’s toxicity, this alkaloid has become a target of the European Food Safety Authority regulations, especially in regard to honey contamination. In this study, we determined by NMR spectroscopy that the main HPLC peak purified from zinc reduced plant extract with an MS [M + H]+ signal at m/z 398 corresponding to echimidine (1), and in fact also represents an isomeric echihumiline (2). A third isomer present in the smallest amount and barely resolved by HPLC from co-eluting (1) and (2) was identified as hydroxymyoscorpine (3). Before the zinc reduction, alkaloids (1) and (2) were present mostly (90%) in the form of an N-oxide, which formed a single peak in HPLC. This is the first report of finding echihumiline and hydroxymyoscorpine in E. plantagineum. Retroanalysis of our samples of E. plantagineum collected in New Zealand, Argentina and the USA confirmed similar co-occurrence of the three isomeric alkaloids. In rat hepatocyte primary culture cells, the alkaloids at 3 to 300 µg/mL caused concentration-dependent inhibition of hepatocyte viability with mean IC50 values ranging from 9.26 to 14.14 µg/mL. Our discovery revealed that under standard HPLC acidic conditions, echimidine co-elutes with its isomers, echihumiline and to a lesser degree with hydroxymyoscorpine, obscuring real alkaloidal composition, which may have implications for human toxicity.

Antioxidant activity of seven plant extracts collected from Tunisia and their allelopathic potential on Lactuca sativa L. and Phalaris minor L.

The objective of the present work was to quantify the total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents, and determine the antioxidant activity and the allelopathic potentiality of the aerial part of seven medicinal plants collected from Tunisia against two target species, including Lactuca sativa (crop) and Phalaris minor (weed). After the calculation of the extraction yield, the phenolic compounds contents of the extracts were determined and the antioxidant and allelopathic activity of the extracts showing the best extraction yield values were evaluated. Total phenolic, flavonoid and condensed tannin contents were quantified spectrophotometrically using Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride and vanillin 4%, respectively as reagents, while the antioxidant activity was determined according to the DPPH scavenging activity and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. The allelopathic activity was evaluated by the calculation of the percentages of the inhibition or stimulation of seeds germination and the length of the hypocotyls and radicles. The results obtained revealed that 80%-aqueous MeOH extracts presented the best extraction yield values. In addition, 80%-aqueous MeOH extract of Cynoglossum creticum showed the highest contents of phenolic and flavonoid, while 80%-aqueous MeOH extract of Ammi majus had the highest content of condensed tannin. The results also showed that Cynoglossum creticum exhibited the best antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH and FRAP assays. Moreover, Cynoglossum creticum, Echium plantagineum and Echium arenarium showed total inhibition of the Phalaris minor seeds germination, radicles and hypocotyls length at a concentration of 6 mg/mL, while Anchuza azurea and Borrago officinale extracts showed the highest stimulation of the radicles and hypocotyls length at 3 mg/mL. Furthermore, Echium arenarium showed the highest inhibition of Lactuca sativa seeds germination, radicles and hypocotyls length at the concentration 9 mg/mL, whereas, Opuntia ficus indica extract presented the highest stimulatory effect of the seed germination and hypocotyl length at 3 mg/mL. These results make Cynoglossum creticum a suitable source of allelochimicals potentially usable to control weeds. • C. creticum 80% aqueous MeOH extract shows the highest polyphenol and flavonoid contents and the best antioxidant activity. • C. creticum, E. plantagineum and E. arenarium methanolic extracts provoke a total inhibition of germination at 6 mg/mL against P. minor.

Interactions of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) with their primary and secondary host plants in orchards in Çanakkale Province, Turkey

This study aimed to reveal the interactions of aphids with their primary hosts (pome and stone fruit trees) and secondary hosts (herbaceous plants) in and around orchards in the Çanakkale Province in northwestern Turkey between April-September from 2020 to 2021. Thirty-eight aphid species belonging to 18 genera from two subfamilies, Aphidinae and Calaphidinae, of Aphididae in the order Hemiptera were identified on 53 host plants. Also, 92 aphid-primary-secondary host plant interactions, including several new host plant records for some aphid species in Turkey were revealed in the orchards. Of these hosts, Ballota sp. (Lamiaceae), Carduus pycnocephalus L. (Asteraceae), Conyza sp. (Asteraceae), Diplotaxis sp. (Brassicaceae), Echium plantagineum L. (Boraginaceae), Galium sp. (Rubiaceae), Geranium columbinum L. (Geraniaceae), Papaver rhoeas L. (Papaveraceae), Ranunculus muricatus L. (Ranunculaceae) and Scandix pecten-veneris L. (Apiaceae) are determined as new host plants for some aphids in Turkey. It is believed that the new data on the interactions of aphids with their primary and secondary hosts in orchards will support both a better understanding of the biology of fruit pest aphids and the development of new strategies for the control of aphid pests.

APLICACIÓN DE COLORACIONES ESPECIALES EN EL DIAGNÓSTICO HISTOPATOLÓGICO: TINCIÓN TRICRÓMICA DE MASSON

Masson's trichrome (MT) is a three-color staining protocol used in histology. MT allows to show and quantify changes such as tissue repair (healing) and collagen deposition. Also, it can be used to quantify blood vessels, in epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma. The objective of this work is to describe the MT staining technique and to exemplify some applications of this technique in routine veterinary histopathological diagnosis. Archived histologic sections were selected from the records of the histopathology laboratory. Tissues were selected in base on theirs structures and lesions that could be evaluated with MT: a rabbit lung with a chronic suppurative bronchopneumonia; a bovine liver with lesions of Echium plantagineum poisoning; and a bovine eyelid with a squamous cell carcinoma. The TM was able to show fibroplasia in the pulmonary interstitium and confirm the presence of a chronic respiratory process, and clearly revealed an abundant fibrovascular tumor stroma, with profuse connective tissue and neovascularization between the tumor cells in deep dermis. In the liver, extensive and marked fibroplasia was confirmed. MT represents a complementary coloration to routine hematoxylin and eosin stain (H&E) and provides accurate information from several pathological processes, mainly those related to fibrovascular proliferation and scarring.

Chemical characterization of Echium plantagineum seed oil obtained by three methods of extraction.

Echium seed oil has been considered an important alternative source of omega 3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) for human consumption. Considering the oxidative instability of n-3 FA richer oils, the objective of this study was to determine the chemical and sensory parameters of the oil obtained from Echium plantagineum seeds obtained by three extraction methods (hydraulic press: HYD; continuous screw press: PRESS; and solvent technique: SOLV). Stearidonic acid (C18:4, n3), the most important n-3 FA present in the oil, changed from 12.5% to 12.7%. Regarding the minor compounds, PRESS sample showed the highest concentration of gamma-tocopherol (782.24mg/kg oil), while SOLV samples presented the highest amount of β-sitosterol (73.46mg/100g) with no difference of campesterol concentration (159.56mg/100g) among the samples. Higher values of total phenolics (19.65mg GAE/kg oil) and β-carotene (34.83mg/kg oil) were also found in the SOLV samples, suggesting the influence of hexane in the extraction of these bioactive compounds. High resolution mass spectrometry identified caffeic acid and its derivatives as the main phenolic compounds present in the echium oil. PRESS sample showed the best oxidative stability as measured by PV (0.61mmol/kg oil) and malondialdehyde (173.13µmol), probably due to faster time of processing compared to HYD and SOLV samples. Our data showed that the extraction method changed the chemical composition of the minor compounds in the echium oil, but these alterations did not reduce its nutritional quality or sensory acceptability. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Echium oil represents a great potential source of omega 3 fatty acids, but there is not enough information about its oxidative stability and chemical composition, especially toward minor compounds. Our study characterizes echium oil composition obtained from three extraction methods, contributing to amplify the technical information about this important alternative oil for human consumption.

Oxidative stability and fatty acid profile of Refined Echium (Echium plantagineum) Oil

The refined Echium oil could be a new option of vegetable oil to be added in manufacture products, that’s contents not only alpha-linolenic (ALA) ω3 fatty acid but also the stearidonic (SDA) ω3 fatty acid. However, this highly unsaturated fatty acids profile could lead to a limited shelf life due to lipid oxidation. In this context, this research aimed to analyze the oxidative stability (peroxide index and Rancimat method) and fatty acid profile of Refined Echium oil. The value of peroxide index found (0.242 meq/kg) was lower than that established by Brazilian legislation (less than 10 meq/kg) and the accelerated oxidation through Rancimat (8.79 hours) showed high value. The oil presented high value of total PUFAS (65%) containing, approximately, 40% of ω3 (28% of ALA and 12% of SDA). The results indicated that this Refined Echium Oil have a good stability oxidative and a great lipid profile, so a good alternative oil.