Sonchus oleraceus é usada na medicina popular brasileira para aliviar dores em geral e na culinária. Entretanto, faltam informações científicas sobre esta espécie e não há relatos de seu possível efeito no sistema nervoso central. Este estudo avaliou os efeitos antinociceptivo, ansiolítico e antidepressivo dos extratos hidroetanólico e diclorometânico de S. oleraceus. Os testes da formalina, placa quente, imersão da cauda e contorções induzidas por ácido acético foram usados para investigar a atividade antinociceptiva em camundongos. O efeito ansiolítico de S. oleraceus foi avaliado em camundongos submetidos aos testes labirinto em cruz elevado e campo aberto. O efeito antidepressivo dos extratos foi avaliado no desempenho de camundongos machos no nado forçado e no teste de suspensão pela cauda que são modelos preditivos de fármacos antidepressivos. Os extratos nas doses de 30-300 mg/kg, v.o. demonstraram atividade antinociceptiva nos testes da formalina, placa quente, imersão da cauda e contorções induzidas por ácido acético. Os extratos administrados na dose de 300 mg/kg, v.o. tiveram um efeito maior que a indometacina (5 mg/kg, v.o.) e a morfina (10 mg/kg, v.o.). No teste do labirinto em cruz elevado, os extratos de S. oleraceus aumentaram a porcentagem de entradas e tempo nos braços abertos. Os extratos induziram um efeito antitigmotático evidenciado por um aumento da atividade locomotora dos animais na parte central do campo aberto. Os extratos administrados nas doses de 30-300 mg/kg, v.o. exerceram um efeito ansiolítico similar ao clonazepam (0,5 mg/kg, v.o.). O tempo de imobilidade em ambos os testes nado forçado e suspensão pela cauda foi reduzido significativamente com a administração dos extratos nas doses 100–300 mg/kg, v.o., sem mudanças na atividade locomotora, como foi mostrado pelo teste do campo aberto. Isso exclui a possibilidade de que o efeito do extrato possa ser devido a uma ativação locomotora. A eficácia dos extratos foi comparada a amitriptilina (10 mg/kg, v.o.). Os extratos de Sonchus oleraceus demonstram atividade antinociceptiva, ansiolítica e antidepressiva em camundongos / Sonchus oleraceus has been used to relieve pain in Brazilian folk medicine and in culinary. Nevertheless, available scientific information regarding this species is scarce; there are no reports related to its possible effect on the central nervous system. This study evaluated the antinociceptive, anxyolitic and antidepressant-like of hydroethanolic and dichloromethane extracts of S. oleraceus .The formalin, hot plate, and tail immersion tests as well as acetic acid-induced writhing were used to investigate the antinociceptive activity in mice. The anxyolitic effect of S. oleraceusi was evaluated n mice submitted to the elevated plus-maze and open-field tests. The putative antidepressant-like effects of extracts was evaluated on the performance of male mice in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) models predictive of antidepressive drugs. The extracts at test doses of 30-300 mg/kg, p.o. clearly demonstrated antinociceptive activity in formalin, hot plate, tail immersion and acetic acid-induced writhing tests. The extracts administered at 300 mg/kg, p.o. had a stronger antinociceptive effect than indomethacin (5 mg/kg, p.o.) and morphine (10 mg/kg, p.o.). In the elevated plus-maze test, the S. oleraceus extracts increased the percentage of open arm entries and time spent in the open-arm portions of the maze. The extracts induce an antithigmotactic effect, evidenced by increased locomotor activity into the central part of the open field set-up. The extracts administered at 30- 300 mg/kg, p.o. had a similar anxiolytic effect to clonazepam (0.5 mg/kg, p.o.). The immobility time in both FST and TST was significantly reduced by acute oral treatment with the extracts (dose range 100–300 mg/kg), without accompanying changes in ambulation, as assessed in an open-field test. This excluded the possibility that the effect of the extracts is due to an activation of locomotion. The efficacy of the extracts was found to be comparable to that of amitriptyline (10 mg/kg, p.o.). The extracts of Sonchus oleraceus markedly demonstrated antinociceptive, anxyolitic and antidepressantlike action in mice. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES

A study was undertaken to determine the food safety of the fermented Māori delicacy, Toroi. Ten batches of Toroi were prepared by a commonly used traditional method that consisted of boiling the vegetable component, either watercress or puha, and combining it with chopped mussel flesh. The mixture was cooled and then stored in a refrigerator for up to eight months to allow natural fermentation to take place. All ingredients were sourced from retail outlets. The Toroi was examined at intervals over eight months for a range of pathogens (seven in all) that have been related to incidents of food poisoning in ready-to-eat foods in New Zealand. The survival of a faecal contamination indicator, the laboratory grown strain Escherichia coli NZRM 916, was mapped over eight months. Two strategies to prevent the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in Toroi were also investigated. Only one of the seven pathogens sought was recovered from any sample. This pathogen was Bacillus cereus, a spore-former known to be associated with vegetables. All batches contained B. cereus on the day of preparation but after two weeks refrigerated storage there was no further recovery from any sample. There was a very low incidence of natural E. coli in the Toroi, consistent with levels permitted in mussels sold in retail outlets. The laboratory grown strain, E. coli declined substantially over two months and was not recovered from any samples at eight months. A laboratory grown strain of Listeria monocytogenes, (L70) was added to Toroi and grew well with an increase in concentration of about seven-fold, over 19 days storage in a refrigerator. A bacteriocin producing lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus sake Lb706, was added in combined culture with L. monocytogenes to Toroi. It was found that at least 5 x108 L. sake cells were required as an inoculum to ensure elimination of L. monocytogenes from the Toroi. When a purified bacteriocin; nisin, was added, a concentration of 10 mg g-1 in the Toroi was required to eliminate L. monocytogenes. The inhibition study results suggest that unacceptably high inocula or purified bacteriocin would be required to prevent the growth of L. monocytogenes in Toroi. The results of this suggest that Toroi be prepared from mussels either purchased from a retail outlet or harvested from sites known to be free from contamination. Toroi should be safe to eat if prepared carefully, chilled promptly and thoroughly and allowed to ferment for at least two weeks. In addition, care should be taken to maintain Toroi at refrigerated temperatures until it is eaten.