Evaluation of sub-chronic toxic effects of petroleum ether, a laboratory solvent in Sprague-Dawley rats

Methods of Protein Extraction from House Crickets (Acheta domesticus) for Food Purposes

Global population is projected to reach 9.1 billion by 2050, emphasizing the need for increased food production. Edible insects, such as house crickets (Acheta domesticus), emerged as promising due to higher nutritional value and efficient feed conversion rates compared to conventional protein sources. Incorporating insect powders into new food products can improve consumer acceptance but often leads to poor technological food processing functionality and/or undesirable organoleptic characteristics. Protein isolates have proven to be effective in enhancing this functionality and consumer acceptance, but existent protein extraction methods still lack improvements concerning the optimization of protein extraction rates. This study aimed to address this gap by developing and comparing the yield of three different protein extraction methods using sodium hydroxide, ascorbic acid or alcalase from house crickets (Acheta domesticus) for food applications. Protein extraction was performed on cricket powder with a mean protein content of 46.35 g/100 g, and the results were evaluated. The enzymatic method shows the highest protein extraction rate at 69.91% with a mean protein content of 60.19 g/100 g, while extraction with NaOH or ascorbic acid resulted in rates of 60.44 and 46.34%, respectively. Further studies on technological food processing functionality and sensorial evaluation of products developed with this protein extract are recommended.

Sustainable solutions for removing aged wax-based coatings from cultural heritage: exploiting hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs)

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents as suitable alternatives to toxic solvents used in the conservation of Cultural Heritage sector.

Target Organ Toxicity in Rats After Subchronic Oral Exposure to Soil Extracts Containing a Complex Mixture of Contaminants

Complex mixtures of unknown contaminants present a challenge to identify toxicological risks without using large numbers of animals and labor-intensive screens of all organs. This study examined soil extracts from a legacy-contaminated pesticide packaging and blending site. HepG2 cytotoxicity was used as an initial screen of 18 soil samples; then, three extracts (A, B and C) from different locations at the study site were used for testing in animals. The first two extracts were identified as the most toxic in vitro, and the latter extract obtained from a location further from these two toxic sampling sites. Then, target organ toxicities were identified following biweekly oral gavage for one month of three soil extracts (0.1% in polyethylene glycol or PEG) compared to vehicle control in male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 9-10/group). Exposure to extract A significantly increased neutrophils and lymphocytes compared to control. In contrast, all extracts increased plasma α-2 macroglobulin and caused mild-to-moderate lymphocytic proliferation within the spleen white pulp, all indicative of inflammation. Rats exposed to all soil extracts exhibited acute tubular necrosis. Cholinesterase activity was significantly reduced in plasma, but not brain, after exposure to extract A compared to control. Increased hepatic ethoxyresorufin-o-deethylase activity compared to control was observed following exposure to extracts A and B. Exposure to soil extract C in rats showed a prolonged QTc interval in electrocardiography as well as increased brain lipid peroxidation. Candidate contaminants are organochlorine, organophosphate/carbamate pesticides or metabolites. Overall, HepG2 cytotoxicity did not successfully predict the neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity observed with extract C but was more successful with suspected hydrocarbon toxicities in extracts A and B. Caution should be taken when extrapolating the observation of no effects from in vitro cell culture to in vivo toxicity, and better cell culture lines or assays should be explored.

From Sharks to Yeasts: Squalene in the Development of Vaccine Adjuvants

Squalene is a natural linear triterpene that can be found in high amounts in certain fish liver oils, especially from deep-sea sharks, and to a lesser extent in a wide variety of vegeTable oils. It is currently used for numerous vaccine and drug delivery emulsions due to its stability-enhancing properties and biocompatibility. Squalene-based vaccine adjuvants, such as MF59 (Novartis), AS03 (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals), or AF03 (Sanofi) are included in seasonal vaccines against influenza viruses and are presently being considered for inclusion in several vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and future pandemic threats. However, harvesting sharks for this purpose raises serious ecological concerns that the exceptional demand of the pandemic has exacerbated. In this line, the use of plants to obtain phytosqualene has been seen as a more sustainable alternative, yet the lower yields and the need for huge investments in infrastructures and equipment makes this solution economically ineffective. More recently, the enormous advances in the field of synthetic biology provided innovative approaches to make squalene production more sustainable, flexible, and cheaper by using genetically modified microbes to produce pharmaceutical-grade squalene. Here, we review the biological mechanisms by which squalene-based vaccine adjuvants boost the immune response, and further compare the existing sources of squalene and their environmental impact. We propose that genetically engineered microbes are a sustainable alternative to produce squalene at industrial scale, which are likely to become the sole source of pharmaceutical-grade squalene in the foreseeable future.

Aqueous ethyl acetate as a novel solvent for the degreasing of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae: degreasing rate, nutritional value evaluation of the degreased meal, and thermal properties

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to select appropriate low-toxicity degreasing solvents to degrease black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens L.) larvae to prepare high-quality protein. Aqueous ethyl acetate was chosen as the solvent to extract BSF protein, and traditional solvents, such as petroleum ether, n-hexane, and isopropanol, were chosen as controls.

RESULTS

The meal degreased by aqueous ethyl acetate (the volume ratio of ethyl acetate to water is 90 to 10, EA + W10) shows a high degreasing rate (29.04%), crude protein content (562.3 g kg^-1 ), essential amino acid index (EAAI, 95.57), and digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS, 85). The digestibility of the degreased meal samples in the simulated in vitro intestine can reach 76.52%. Thermodynamic analysis and the apparent morphology of the protein fragments showed that the meal degreased by EA + W10 exhibited thermodynamic stability, which suggests that using aqueous ethyl acetate as the degreasing solvent did not affect the nutritional value of the degreased meal.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that aqueous ethyl acetate (EA + W10) can be used as a novel solvent in the degreasing of BSF larvae meal to prepare high-quality protein with high EAAI and DIAAS and good digestibility. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pulmonary Toxicity Induced by N-Hexane in Wistar Male Rats After Oral Subchronic Exposure

Studies of pulmonary toxicity induced by oral exposure to n-hexane are very few, in contrast to those studying the exposure by inhalation. This research tackles the oral toxic effect of n-hexane solvent on the lungs after subchronic exposure of Wistar male rats at 300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg, respectively, each day for 8 weeks. The pneumotoxicity observed in this study was marked by an immune toxicity in the form of a significant increase in the levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes, granulocytes, and eosinophils, as well as a significant increase in relative and absolute lung weight in both groups treated at the doses of 600 and 1200 mg/kg. n-Hexane also resulted in a significant increase in serum total proteins and acid phosphatase in the 3 doses tested daily for 8 weeks. In addition, we found a significant increase in total protein and a decrease in glutathione at 600 and 1200 mg/kg, in the pulmonary homogenate. Furthermore, the rate of lipid peroxidation increased in the 3 doses tested. Histological findings revealed a pneumonia characterized by bronchopneumonia, fibronecrotic lesions, congestion, hemorrhage, type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, alveolar lesions, bronchial epithelium degradation, and inflammation.

Ameliorative Effect of Curcumin on Olanzapine-induced Obesity in Sprague-Dawley Rats

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of curcumin on olanzapine-induced obesity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used for experiments. The animals were divided into six groups, namely, normal control, olanzapine control, betahistine (10 mg/kg), and curcumin 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg treated groups. Except the normal control group, all other animals were administered with olanzapine 4 mg/kg intraperitoneally to induce obesity. The drugs were administered once daily, per oral for 28 days. During the experiment, body weight changes and behavior alterations were monitored at regular intervals. At the end of the experiment, blood sample was collected from all the experimental animals for biochemical analysis. Part of the liver and kidney tissues was harvested from the sacrificed animals and preserved in neutral formalin for histopathological studies.

RESULTS

Curcumin showed a significant reduction in olanzapine-induced body weight gain on the rats and improved the locomotor effects. The effect of curcumin on olanzapine-induced body weight gain is not comparable with that of betahistine.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown metabolic alteration effect of curcumin on olanzapine, an antipsychotic drug, treated SD rats.

SUMMARY

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Obesity is an adverse effect of olanzapine, and the present study was made an attempt to study the effect of curcumin on olanzapine-induced obesity in rats. In this present study, curcumin significantly reduced olanzapine-induced body weight gain in rats. Abbreviations Used: 5HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine, ALP: Alkaline phosphatase, ALT: Alanine transaminase, ANOVA: Analysis of variance, AST: Aspartate transaminase, CMC: Carboxymethyl cellulose, D: Dopamine, H and E: Hematoxylin and Eosin stain, H: Histamine, HDL-C: Highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, IP: Intraperitoneal, MAO: Monoamine oxidase, NaOH: Sodium hydroxide, SD rats: Sprague Dawley rats, TCs: Total cholesterols, TG: Triglyceride.