Current Science

Guilherme Malafaia ¹, Dieferson da Costa Estrela ², Wellington Alves Mizael da Silva ¹, Abraao Tiago Batista Guimaraes ¹, Bruna de Oliveira Mendes ¹, Aline Sueli de Lima Rodrigues ¹, Ivandilson Pessoa Pinto de Menezes ³

Affiliations
1 Laboratorio de Pesquisas Biologicas, Instituto Federal Goiano – Campus Urutai, GO, BR
2 Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Goias – Campus Samambaia, GO, BR
3 Laboratorio de Genetica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Federal Goiano – Campus Urutai, GO, BR

Abstract

Growing food in unconventional systems such as those using irrigation with domestic wastewater and the use of potentially toxic waste has generated resistance from producers and consumers. Here, we evaluate the possible physical and biochemical damage to Swiss mice fed for 13 weeks with corn produced in soil containing tannery sludge vermicompost and irrigated with wastewater from domestic sewage. The corn was offered as an additional food to standard rodent chow at a daily concentration of 15 g/kg of body mass. The results showed no changes in body weight of the animals during the experimental period. The consumption of grain and weight gain of the animals was stable. The total protein, albumin, globulin and alkaline phosphatase levels did not differ among experimental groups. In addition, macroscopic analysis of the liver of the animals showed no sign of injury or disorders. Thus, we preliminarily conclude that the maize produced in this way is innocuous to animals. However, further studies are needed to evaluate other variables not measured in the present study which can contribute to food security and the nutrition of the corn thus produced.

Keywords

Agro-industrial Waste, Animal Models, Toxicity, Wastewater.

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Abraao Tiago Batista Guimaraes ¹, Joyce Moreira de Souza ¹, Wellington Alves Mizael da Silva ¹, Bruna de Oliveira Mendes ², Joice Gomes de Queiroz ², Andre Luis da Silva Castro ¹, Guilherme Malafaia ¹

Affiliations
1 Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Conservacao de Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Laboratorio de Zoologia, Instituto Federal Goiano – Campus Urutai, GO, BR
2 Laboratorio de Pesquisas Biologicas, Instituto Federal Goiano – Campus Urutai, GO, BR

Abstract

The present study deals with a chronic stress paradigm to induce anxiety-like behaviour in male C57Bl/6J mice, using Wistar rats as predators. The predatory stress paradigm includes placing the mice in a cage protected by a metallic screen, which is placed inside a larger metallic cage, containing adult male Wistar rats. Male mice (21 days old) were put in indirect contact with Wistar male rats for 1 h daily for 12 days. The anxiety behaviour of mice was analysed by means of elevated plus-maze test, after 12 days of predatory stress daily (first behavioural assessment) and 12 days after the stress protocol (second behavioural assessment). We demonstrate that this predatory stress paradigm induces anxiety-like behaviour in male juvenile mice C57Bl/6J. We conclude that the predatory stress paradigm used is capable of inducing anxiety in male C57Bl/6J mice after a short duration (12 days) of predatory stress with Wistar rats.

Keywords

Anxiety, Elevated Plus Maze Test, Juvenile Mice, Predatory Stress.

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