How not to Resist the Natural Kind Talk in Biology

Abstract: After the dawn of the traditional, essentialist view of natural kinds in contemporary philosophy (exacerbated in philosophy of biology by “population thinking”), non-essentialist cluster conceptions of natural kinds have been extensively supported and applied to numerous biological categories. However, salient philosophers have put forward two challenging arguments against cluster kind theories. I argue that, in both cases, discontent with a cluster conception of natural kinds is motivated by tacit and previous assumptions that can be challenged. I conclude that the concerns expressed in the objections do not make good reasons to resist natural kinds talk in biology unless one is …

Comparative cytotoxic study of silica materials functionalised with essential oil components in HepG2 cells

[EN] This work evaluated the cytotoxic effect of different EOCs-functionalised silica particle types. The in vitro toxicity of eugenol and vanillin-immobilised SAS, MCM-41 microparticles and MCM-41 nanoparticles was evaluated on HepG2 cells, and compared to free EOCs and pristine materials. The results revealed that free essential oil components and bare silica had a mild cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cells. However, the comparative study showed that free eugenol and vanillin had a milder cytotoxic effect than the equivalent concentrations of immobilised components on the different silica particles, while differences in cell viability between the bare and functionalised particles relied on the …

Comparison of basal cytotoxicity of seven carbamates in CHO-K1 cells

The cytotoxic effects of seven carbamate pesticides, aldicarb, aldicarb sulfone, aldicarb sulfoxide, benfuracarb, pirimicarb, propoxur and thiobencarb, were compared in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cell line of Circetulus griseus. The endpoints evaluated were lysosomal function by neutral red assay and mitochondrial integrity by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT assay). The carbamates tested were evaluated in both serum-free medium and in serum-containing medium. Results demonstrate that CHO-K1 lysosomes appeared more susceptible to propoxur, aldicarb and its metabolites than mitochondria. Aldicarb was the most toxic carbamate pesticide tested on CHO-K1 cel…

Relevant essential oil components: a minireview on increasing applications and potential toxicity.

[EN] Phenolic compounds carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, and vanillin are four of the most thoroughly investigated essential oil components given their relevant biological properties. These compounds are generally considered safe for consumption and have been used in a wide range of food and non-food applications. Significant biological properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, or anti-carcinogenic activity, have been described for these components. They are versatile molecules with wide-ranging potential applications whose use may substantially increase in forthcoming years. However, some in vitro and in vivo studies, and several case report…

Application of capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry for determining organic food contaminants and residues.

Food contamination continues to be a serious problem around the world. Surveillance of chemical contaminants in foods is important not only for public health but also because of the negative economic impact of contamination. From the analytical perspective, analysis of contaminants in food is an extremely challenging area. There is a wide variety of questions, ranging from the quantification of extremely low levels of individual components to the detailed assessment and evaluation of the analytical technique possibilities. This review considers the applications of CE coupled to MS detection (CE-MS) for the analysis of organic contaminants in food. Analytical information on sample concentrat…

Current trends in solid-phase-based extraction techniques for the determination of pesticides in food and environment

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures for pesticide residues in food and environment are reviewed and discussed. The use of these procedures, which include several approaches such as: matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD), solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) and stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), represents an opportunity to reduce analysis time, solvent consumption, and overall cost. SPE techniques differ from solvent extraction depending on the interactions between a sorbent and the pesticide. This interaction may be specific for a particular pesticide, as in the interaction with an immunosorbent, or non-specific, as in the way a number of different pesticides are adsorbed on apolar or…

Effects of four carbamate compounds on antioxidant parameters

Abstract The effect of four carbamates, aldicarb and its metabolites (aldicarb sulfone and aldicarb sulfoxide) and propoxur on glutathione content and the activity of the enzymes involved in the sulfur-redox cycle in the mammalian cellular model CHO-K1 cells after 24-h exposure were determined. Carbamate exposure resulted in a depletion of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) content, no change was observed in oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and a decrease in GSH/GSSG ratio was detected. After carbamates exposition a GSH/GSSG decreases in ranged from 12.44% to 21.35% of control was observed. Depletion of GSH levels was accompanied by the induction of glutathione reductase (GR) after 24 h exp…

Degradation of silica particles functionalised with essential oil components under simulated physiological conditions

[EN] In this work, the biodurability of three silica particle types (synthetic amourphous silica, MCM-41 microparticles, MCM-41 nanoparticles) functionalised with three different essential oil components (carvacrol, eugenol, vanillin) was studied under conditions that represented the human gastrointestinal tract and lysosomal fluid. The effect of particle type, surface immobilised component and mass quantity on the physico-chemical properties of particles and silicon dissolution was determined. Exposure to biological fluids did not bring about changes in the zeta potential values or particle size distribution of the bare or functionalised materials, but the in vitro digestion process partia…

In vitro mechanisms of Beauvericin toxicity: A review.

Beauvericin (BEA) is a mycotoxin produced by many species of fungus Fusarium and by Beauveria bassiana; BEA is a natural contaminant of cereals and cereals based products and possesses a wide variety of biological properties. The mechanism of action seems to be related to its ionophoric activity, that increases ion permeability in biological membranes. As a consequence, BEA causes cytotoxicity in several cell lines and is capable to produce oxidative stress at molecular level. Moreover, BEA is genotoxic (produces DNA fragmentation, chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus) and causes apoptosis with the involvement of mitochondrial pathway. However, several antioxidant mechanisms protect cel…

In vitro cytotoxicity of patulin, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and zearalenone on CHO-K1 cells

Determination of microcystins in biological samples by matrix solid-phase dispersion and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

A method for the detection and quantification of the microcystins (MCs)-MC-LR, MC-RR and MC-YR-in biological samples by matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) has been developed. The optimum extraction conditions were 500 mg of liver or kidney, C18 bonded silica as dispersant, and a mixture methanol-water (70:30) as eluent. The MCs were determined by liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry (LC/ES/MS). Recoveries of biological extracts at three different spiked levels (1-10 mg kg(-1)) ranged from 40.5 to 87.0% in liver, and from 52.5 to 74.5 in kidney. R.S.D.s were < 15.6% and < 10.6%, respectively. The detection and quantification limits were 0.05 and 0.5 mg kg(-1), for all MCs. …

Biological activity and toxicity of plant nutraceuticals: an overview

Plant nutraceuticals have currently been receiving international attention due to their potentially health-promoting effects when consumed as part of a varied diet, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative properties. These beneficial effects have been attributed to the presence of bioactive compounds naturally occurring in food or produced de novo through metabolic pathways. However, taken into account that nutraceuticals could be concentrated forms of the food or plants, it is probable to find undesirable substances utilized in crop protection, such as pesticides, and other contaminants (e.g. mycotoxins), which could be concentrated during the extraction process. H…

In vitro effect of organophosphate pesticides, Malathion and chlorpyriphos, on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes

Control of pesticide residues by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to ensure food safety.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has become an invaluable technique for the control of pesticide residues to ensure food safety. After an introduction about the regulations that highlights its importance to meet the official requirements on analytical performance, the different mass spectrometers used in this field of research, as well as the LC-MS interfaces and the difficulties associated with quantitative LC-MS determination, are discussed. The ability to use practical data for quantifying pesticides together with the option of obtaining structural information to identify target and non-target parent compounds and metabolites are discussed. Special attention is paid to the…

Antioxidant capacity of trans -resveratrol dietary supplements alone or combined with the mycotoxin beauvericin

Trans-resveratrol (trans-RSV) is a polyphenol with multiples biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, and antiplatelet. It occurs naturally in grapes and derivate, peanuts and berries. Beauvericin (BEA) is a mycotoxin present in cereals that produces cytotoxicity, intracellular reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. The general objective of this research was to evaluate whether trans-RSV could be used as a good polyphenol against damages produced by BEA. Because trans-RSV can be ingested through dietary supplements, to reach this goal, the following specific objectives were proposed: to determine a) the trans-RSV content in different…

A Review of the Mycotoxin Enniatin B

Mycotoxin enniatin B (ENN B) is a secondary metabolism product by Fusarium fungi. It is a well-known antibacterial, antihelmintic, antifungal, herbicidal, and insecticidal compound. It has been found as a contaminant in several food commodities, particularly in cereal grains, co-occurring also with other mycotoxins. The primary mechanism of action of ENN B is mainly due to its ionophoric characteristics, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. In the last two decades, it has been a topic of great interest since its potent mammalian cytotoxic activity was demonstrated in several mammalian cell lines. Moreover, the co-exposure in vitro with other mycotoxins enhances its toxic potential thro…

Exposure estimates to Fusarium mycotoxins through cereals intake.

Abstract Mycotoxins are harmful substances produced by fungi in several commodities with a widespread presence in foodstuffs. Human exposure to mycotoxins occurs mainly by contaminated food. The quantitation of mycotoxins in cereal-based food, highly consumed by different age population, is of concern. In this survey, 159 cereal-based samples classified as wheat, maize and rice-based, have been evaluated for the occurrence of patulin, deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, fusarenon-X, diacetoxyscirpenol, nivalenol, neosolaniol, HT-2, T-2 and zearalenone by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Intakes were calculated for average consumers among adults, children and infants and com…

Comparative cytotoxicity effect of zearalenone and its metabolites on the CHO-K1 cells