Marina de Souza Vencato

This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the use of sweet potato vines (SPV) in replacement of alfalfa hay in diets for growing rabbits. For this, data on: performance, composition and color of the meat, digestive enzymes, intestinal morphology and economic viability were analyzed. Fifty New Zealand White rabbits were used, weaned at 35 days with a body weight of ± 585 g, for 49 days. The animals were distributed into one of five dietary groups: 0SPV – control diet; 25SPV, 50SPV, 75SPV and 100SPV – diets with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% SPV in replacements for alfalfa hay respectively. The data were subjected to normality testing and analysis of variance, and compared using the Tukey test (p < 0.05). The results showed that the inclusion of BBD differed in the initial phase, causing a reduction in consumption, reflecting on the live weight of the animals in the 75SPV and 100SPV treatments. However, in the total experimental period there were no significant changes in daily feed consumption, mass gain and conversion. The SPV caused a decrease in chymotrypsin activity, but did not affect trypsin. However, villus height was lower in 50SPV than in other treatments. No differences were observed in the compositions and color of the muscle. Regarding economic viability, the increasing replacement of SPV linearly reduced costs, reaching 35% in the 100SPV experimental diet. It can be concluded, based on the data studied, that SPV can be used as a replacement for alfalfa hay up to 100% in diets for growing rabbits.

Cubiu, an Amazonian fruit, is widely used as food and popular treatment for pathologies that present an inflammatory pattern, such as skin wound healing. However, there is still no confirmation in the scientific literature about the safety profile, as well as the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and healing actions of cubiu. This study is divided into two experimental protocols using Wistar rats. Thus, the first objective (protocol 1) of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of an oral administration of cubiu extract at different doses for 28 days. The macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the liver and kidney were performed, and the following analysis was determined in plasma: glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, urea, creatinine, and uric acid. After, we conducted the second protocol aimed to establish the potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity of cubiu and its interaction with magnetic field in skin wound healing. On days 3, 7, and 14 of treatment, skin and blood samples were collected and analyzed: the oxidative stress biomarkers (reactive substances to thiobarbituric acid, nonprotein thiols, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase), myeloperoxidase enzymatic activity, and cytokines levels (interleukin 1, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). The cubiu has shown to be safe and nontoxic. Both cubiu and magnetic field promoted decreased levels of proinflammatory and prooxidant biomarkers (interleukin 1, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and reactive substances to thiobarbituric acid), as well as increased levels of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant biomarkers (interleukin 10, nonprotein thiols, and superoxide dismutase), with greater potential when treatments are used in association. Thus, cubiu promotes antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action in skin wound healing, while also improving results of the conventional treatment for skin healing (magnetic field) when used in association.