Thesis (M. Sc.)(Chemistry)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

A series of experiments were conducted to examine the effect of petroselinic acid, found in coriander oil, on fillet, hepatocyte and whole body FA composition and Δ6 desaturase gene expression in hepatocytes of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed vegetable oil (VO) based diets containing no fishmeal (FM) or fish oil (FO). In the first experiment, rainbow trout were fed one of eight diets containing fish, flax, canola or Camelina sativa oil with or without coriander oil. Coriander oil in the diet increased concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3, P < 0.05) in the fillet. There was a trend to increased 20:5n-3 + 22:6n-3/20:4n-6 ratios when coriander oil was added to the diet (P = 0.067). The second trial set out to investigate the effects of varied levels of coriander oil in canola oil based diets, on i) the capacity of rainbow trout hepatocytes to desaturate, elongate and esterify [1-14C] α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3; ALA) and [1-14C] linoleic acid (18:2n-6, LA), ii) reducing the production of 20:4n-6 in hepatocytes and iii) gene expression. This experiment demonstrated a significant increase in 22:6n-3 (P = 0.011) and a decrease 20:4n-6 (P = 0.023) in rainbow trout hepatocytes. Furthermore, there was a three-fold decrease in acetate for the [1-14C] 18:2n-6 and nearly a two-fold increase for the [1-14C] 18:3n-3 substrate when coriander was added at increasing levels, illustrating an increase in peroxisomal β-oxidation. Relative gene expression of ∆6 desaturase decreased with addition of coriander oil at the 0.5 inclusion level of coriander oil. The final experiment was conducted to determine if bypassing the first ∆6 desaturase and rate-limiting step in the n-3 FA pathway causes increased conversion of stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4n-3) to 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3. Rainbow trout were fed one of six diets containing either fish, conventional linseed (flax), or SDA enriched linseed oil (LO) with and without coriander oil. Inclusion of coriander oil did not affect any growth or feed intake parameters of rainbow trout. However, the addition of coriander oil caused a significant increase in whole body 22:6n-3 and 20:4n-6 concentrations in fish fed SDA enriched LO with coriander oil (SDA+C) compared to fish fed conventional linseed oil (LO). These results suggest that petroselinic acid, found in coriander oil, has the ability to influence FA bioconversion of the n-3 and n-6 FA pathway thereby increasing 22:6n-3 and possibly 20:5n-3 in rainbow trout and reducing ARA when fed VO-based diets. Furthermore, it seems as though petroselinic acid causes improved bioconversion to 22:6n-3 when the first ∆6 desaturase is bypassed. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanism of action that petroselinic acid has on FA bioconversion.

Orientador: Marco Antônio Martin Biaggioni / Banca: Osmar Delmanto Junior / Banca: Ivan Fernandes de Souza / Resumo: A prensagem mecânica é o método mais empregado para extração do óleo de diversos tipos de oleaginosas, constituindo-se em uma operação simples que não exige mão de obra qualificada e é facilmente adaptável a diversos tipos de grãos. Entretanto, as prensas contínuas de pequena capacidade, com grande potencial de utilização nas pequenas comunidades rurais, apresentam baixa eficiência de extração, deixando uma quantidade significativa de óleo na torta de crambe. A operação de retirada das cascas dos frutos de crambe, antes da prensagem, constitui-se em um fator importante que pode otimizar a extração mecânica do óleo de crambe, reduzindo o teor de óleo que se perde pela casca. Por outro lado, a possibilidade de danificação mecânica durante a compressão e atrito, comprometendo o potencial de armazenamento dos grãos, deve ser considerada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o rendimento de óleo extraído mecanicamente do crambe, contendo diferentes percentagens de casca, bem como, o possível efeito imediato e latente do processo de descasque dos grãos submetidos a diferentes sistemas de armazenagem. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido em duas fases. Na primeira fase, foram realizados os testes de rendimento de extração do óleo pelo método mecânico de prensagem a frio, a partir do crambe submetido aos seguintes tratamentos de descasque: grãos com casca (testemunha), grãos sem casca, grãos com 10% de casca e grãos com 20% de casca. Para avaliar o efeito do descasque foi utilizado um de... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The mechanical pressing (expelling) is the most commonly used method for extracting oil from various types of oilseeds, constituting of a simple operation that requires no skilled labor and is easily adaptable to various types of grain. However, small expellers, with great potential for use in small rural communities, have low extraction efficiency, leaving a significant amount of oil in the crambe presscake. The operation of the crambe fruit hulling before the pressing is an important factor that can optimize the mechanical extraction of the crambe oil, reducing the oil contained that is lost by the hull. On the other hand, the possibility of mechanical damage during compression and friction, compromising the grain storage potential, should be considered. The objective of this work was to evaluate the yield of mechanically extracted oil from the crambe, containing different percentages of hull, as well as the possible immediate and latent effect of the hulling process of the grains submitted to different storage systems. This work was developed in two phases. In the first phase, the oil extraction yield tests were performed by the cold pressing method, having the crambe submitted to the following hulling treatments: whole grains (control), totally dehulled (Hulless), partially dehulled with 10% hull, and partially dehulled with 20% hull. To evaluate the dehulling effect, a completely randomized experimental design was used, with four treatments and four replications. The res... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Neuza Jorge / Banca: Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz / Banca: Magali Conceição Monteiro da Silva / Banca: Odair Zenebon / Banca: Roseli Aparecida Ferrari / Resumo: No Brasil, muitas frutas comestíveis são processadas para fabricação de sucos, doces, geléias, polpas e extratos, gerando uma grande quantidade de resíduos tais como sementes, cascas e bagaços. Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar e verificar um melhor aproveitamento dessas sementes, possibilitando agregar valor econômico a estes subprodutos. Para tanto, os objetivos principais deste trabalho foram: caracterizar sementes de frutas comumente cultivadas no Brasil (laranja, limão, tangerina, melão, melancia, mamão, maracujá e goiaba) quanto à composição centesimal, determinar as características físico-químicas, composição em ácidos graxos, tocoferóis, carotenóides, teores de compostos fenólicos totais e matéria insaponificável nos óleos extraídos dessas sementes, e avaliar a estabilidade oxidativa e a atividade antioxidante dos mesmos. As sementes foram separadas das frutas, lavadas, secas à temperatura ambiente, trituradas e o óleo extraído em extrator Soxhlet. Todas as sementes apresentaram teores relativamente elevados de lipídios (14,01-41,66%) e os óleos revelaram um elevado grau de insaturação (67,55- 88,14%), destacando-se como ácidos graxos principais o oléico e o linoléico. Com relação às propriedades físico-químicas, os óleos apresentaram características semelhantes a óleos convencionais e as porcentagens de matéria insaponificável foram de 0,70-1,51%. As concentrações de tocoferóis totais variaram de 74,71 mg.Kg-1, para o óleo de semente de mamão, a 748,11 mg.Kg-1, para o óleo de semente de melancia, sendo o d-tocoferol quantificado em todos os óleos. Os principais carotenóides quantificados nos óleos analisados foram luteína, b-criptoxantina e b-caroteno. O óleo de sementes de mamão apresentou a maior concentração de carotenóides totais (7,05 mg.Kg-1), enquanto no óleo de maracujá nenhum carotenóide foi ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In Brazil, many edible fruits are processed to produce juice, candy, jam, concentrate and puree, originating a vast quantity of waste such as seeds, peels and pulps. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible utilization of fruit seeds, allowing to add economic value to these subproducts. Thus, the main objectives of this work were: to characterize seeds of commonly cultivated species of fruits in Brazil (orange, lemon, tangerine, melon, watermelon, papaya, passion fruit and guava) as for their proximal composition; to determine the physico-chemical characteristics, fatty acid composition, tocopherols, carotenoids, total phenolic compounds and unsaponifiable matter in the oils extracted of these fruit seeds; and to evaluate the oxidative stability and the antioxidant activity of the seed oils. The seeds were removed from the fruits, washed, dried at room temperature, ground and the oils extracted using a Soxhlet extractor. All seeds showed considerable lipid contents (14.01-41.66%) and the oils revealed high unsaturated fatty acids percentage (67.55-88.14%) with oleic and linoleic fatty acids being prominent. Regarding to physico-chemical properties, the seed oils compared favorably to conventional vegetable oils and the unsaponifiable matter percentages were 0.70-1.51%. The total tocopherol concentrations ranged between 74.71 mg.Kg-1 for papaya seed oil to 748.11 mg.Kg-1 for watermelon seed oil, being the d-tocopherol quantified in all oils. The major carotenoids quantified in the analyzed oils were lutein, b-criptoxantin and b-carotene. The papaya seed oil showed the highest total carotenoid concentration (7.05 mg.Kg-1) while no carotenoid was quantified in the passion fruit seed oil. Total phenolic contents obtained in the analyzed oils (922.92-1,428.97 mg gallic acid equivalents per kilogram of oil) were higher than those cited in the literature to soybean... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018. / Industrial development is associated with an increase in pollution levels and rising fuel prices. Research on clean energy contributes to reduction of fossil fuel dependency, decrease in ozone layer depletion and reduction in emission of toxic gases. The development of renewable energies increases the energy independence and reduces the impact of environmental pollution from fossil fuels. The biodiesel market is among the fastest growing renewable energy markets and its demand in the energy sector has tremendously increased over the last decade due to its environmental friendly qualities. Biodiesel is considered as a promising diesel fuel substitute based on the similarities of its properties with that of petroleum based diesel fuel. However, the high cost of the feedstock, environmental pollution as a result of wastewater generated from a homogeneous process has limited its full implementation. In addition, other technical challenges encountered during the production such as the immiscibility of the reagents and the reversibility of the transesterification reaction calls for innovative technologies to be developed. One promising solution to these issues is the use of membrane technology to serve as a reaction and separating medium for the production of biodiesel. This study is aimed at optimizing biodiesel production from vegetable oils using heterogeneous catalysts in a ceramic membrane. The objectives were to evaluate the performance of calcium oxide (CaO) as a catalyst supported on activated carbon in a membrane reactor for biodiesel production. Further still, to evaluate the membrane performance regarding permeate quality and to optimize the process using design of experiment. The final objective was to investigate the influence of operating parameters such as temperature, methanol/oil ratio, catalyst amount and reaction time on biodiesel yield. The transesterification of soya bean oil with methanol in the presence of a supported catalyst was carried out on a laboratory scale. The membrane reactor was designed and assembled for this purpose. The membrane reactor integrated many procedures such as combining reaction and separation in a single unit, continuous mixing of raw materials and maintaining high mass transfer between the immiscible phases during the reaction. The effect of the process parameters on the biodiesel production and FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) yields were investigated. One factor at a time (OFAT) experiments were conducted to identify the optimum range of the yield. The membrane reactor produced a permeate stream which separated at room temperature into a FAME rich non-polar phase and a methanol polar phase. The optimum range was between 90% - 94% within a reaction time of 60 – 180 minutes, methanol to oil ratio 3:1 - 9:1 and temperature range of 60 0C - 70 0C. Methyl ester produced met the ASTM D6751 and SANS 1935 specifications. The response surface methodology (RSM) based on the central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the process. The optimization experiments were conducted around the optimum range established by the OFAT method. The optimum condition for transesterification of soya bean oil to fatty acid methyl ester was obtained at 3 g/L catalyst concentration, 65 0C temperature, 4.5:1 methanol to oil molar ratio and 90 minutes reaction time. At these optimum conditions, the FAME yield was 96.9 %, which is well within the yield of 97.7 % as predicted by the model. In conclusion, this work presents a study of high quality biodiesel production using a ceramic membrane reactor with the advantage of selectively permeating FAME and methanol. This study therefore showed that the use of a membrane for biodiesel production conserved water for other purposes; eliminates the purification step and wastewater generation thereby reducing the cost of biodiesel production. / M

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Introduction The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of Malus domestica 30CH on a group of healthy provers and to compare these signs and symptoms to remedies of repertorial similarity. Malus domestica (common domestic apple) is an indigenous South African fruit which grows on the Drakensberg Mountains in Northern KwaZulu-Natal and is a regular part of the diet for those living there. This study hypothesized that Malus domestica 30CH would prove observable signs and symptoms in healthy individuals. Further it was hypothesized that the comparison of Malus domestica to remedies of reportorial similarity would highlight similarities and differences between existing homoeopathic remedies and Malus domestica 30CH thereby clarifying the therapeutic action of this new remedy and its relative location in the materia medica. The study was conducted by two researchers who each managed 15 provers and shared all primary data. The second researcher hypothesized that there would be a similarity between the proving symptoms of the remedy and the Doctrine of Signatures of the original substance (Ramnarayan 2014). Methodology A double blind placebo controlled proving of Malus domestica 30CH was conducted on 30 healthy volunteers who met specific inclusion criteria, with 6 receiving placebo and 24 receiving verum. A case history and thorough physical examination was performed on every prover before commencement of the proving. Recording of the data collected was in the form of a journal. Once the proving was completed information from each prover was collated and assessed by the two researchers. The symptoms elicited were then translated into materia medica and repertory language and a complete homoeopathic picture of the remedy appeared. Information from case histories and physical examinations were also considered. A repertorisation of 10 rubrics chosen to represent the essence of Malus domestica was conducted using Radar Opus software. Exclusion repertorization then followed in order to identify those remedies producing the highest numerical value and total number of rubrics within the animal, mineral and plant kingdoms in particular. Results Vast arrays of symptoms were experienced by the provers. Polarities in the symptoms were often displayed. On the emotional plane, there were symptoms of depression, sadness and cheerfulness. Some provers experienced tranquility and others felt anger, frustration and irritation. On the mental plane there were symptoms of clarity, focused concentration and confusion. The presence of delusions was marked. The most prominent delusion which infiltrated the mental and physical plane was of disconnection and separation. The main symptoms were sensations as if the extremities were separated from other areas. There was cramping and itching of the extremities as well. Pulsating headaches with perspiration of the scalp and eye pain were experienced. Various gastrointestinal symptoms were experienced ranging from distention, eructations, cramping, and diarrhea to hemorrhage after stool. Constriction of the chest and a loose, dry cough was also experienced. Cervical and lumbar back pain was reported. Sleep was described as unrefreshing with sleeplessness. The themes that emerged from the dreams were of danger (including danger to family), banquets, parties and helping others. The provers had a craving for tea. The similar remedies that emerged from the repertorial analysis were; Natrum muriaticum, Rhus toxicodendron, Lyssin, Cinchona officinalis and Pulsatilla pratensis. Conclusion The proving of Malus domestica 30CH did produce well defined symptoms that were clearly observed in healthy provers as proposed by the hypothesis. As hypothesized the comparison of Malus domestica to remedies of repertorial similarity did highlight similarities and differences between existing homoeopathic remedies and Malus domestica 30CH thereby clarifying the therapeutic range of this new remedy and its relative location in the materia medica. / M

In my dissertation, I study the spatio-temporal variegation and transnational circulation of vegetable commodities using the case of edamame beans (the largest frozen vegetable sector in Asia). My dissertation shows that food production and trade in East Asia have fundamentally changed over the past several decades. Rapid development has lifted the region out of subsistence and into middle-class and luxury consumption. As a result, East Asia is quickly becoming the center of the global food economy. The development of edamame industries is central to explaining the transformation of the agriculture and food industries across the region. I employ a mixed methods approach that includes participant-observation, semi-structured interviews with 40 edamame farmers and entrepreneurs, and GIS mapping, alongside Social Network Analysis (SNA). In my analysis, I coin the concept of “border assemblages,” arguing that edamame trade incorporates network and state-territorial characteristics. Building on this approach, my research bridges two social science sub-fields that scholars have often applied empirically but not theoretically: international politics and regional agrarian development. Three novel findings emerge from this research: First, my research adds to the literature on Asian colonialism by showing how the Japanese Empire and the post-World War Two (WWII) U.S. Cold War regime territorialized East Asia to develop a regulatory assemblage of regional agricultural production and trade. Second, after the 1980s, a new type of food regime emerged in East Asia following the introduction of new World Trade Organization food safety regulations that reterritorialized the food production networks in Asia. My research conceptualizes the emergence of the new food regimes in an East Asian context according to the political economy and ecology of edamame trade among Taiwan, Japan, and China. Third, another strand of my research contributes to the geopolitical understanding of the edamame trade with regard to food scares and contract farming. I extend the definition of contract farming to encompass international regulatory bodies and argue that trade agreements and international food laws, such as the Codex Alimentarius, have significantly shaped the agrarian landscape in Asia. / 2021-01-11

The presented diploma thesis entitled "Vegetable in nutrition and possibilities of its consumption increase" takes two parts theoretical and practical. The theoretical part describes vegetables in terms of their properties, possibilities of use and also deals with their consumption. Consumption of vegetables is described at the level of the Czech Republic compared to foreign data, captures the possible influences affecting its consumption and at the same time describes some existing support programs to increase its consumption. The practical part is composed of two parts - questionnaire survey among 150 respondents and own experimental activities aimed at finding an influence on consumption of vegetables in children of primary school elementary school with attractive treatment before consumption. A questionnaire survey of 150 randomly selected respondents divided into 3 age categories (3-11 years, 12-19 years, 20-50+ years) was found: Of the total number of responses, 28,4 % of the respondents correctly stated the value of the recommended daily amount of vegetables. There was no difference between men and women in the preference of consumption of fresh vegetables before the modified.When eating vegetables during the day, only 12 % of respondents consume vegetables even at breakfast. Of the total 12 % of respondents eating breakfast vegetables, only 22 % were men. In our own experimental activity, 300 children aged 6-11 years who were offered a choice of eating vegetables in a regular and attractive way (in the form of a wagon and a frog) during lunch in the school canteen, found that attractive vegetable treatment. The first rating preferred a total of 54,6 % of children. The most prominent age group was 6-7 years old and 9-10 years of age. An attractive vegetable dressing (wagon) served at the same time to increase the consumption of vegetables by 50 % compared to a standard portion of consumed vegetables as a lunch supplement. In the re-evaluation the shape was changed to the shape of a flip-flop and a new kind of less attractive vegetable - peas was added. This attractive treatment of vegetables was preferred by 69,9 % of children, in the age groups of 6-7 years, 7-8 years and 8-9 years. A particular way of making an attractive form (wagon, frog) influences the effect of preference, while giving some possibility of increasing its consumption.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF AFTON KHALE DELVECCHIO, for the Master of Science Degree in Food and Nutrition, presented on November 15, 2013 a Southern Illinois University. TITLE: THE IMPACT OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EDUCATION WITH A SCHOOL GARDEN ON KINDERGARTENERS' NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Sylvia Smith, CHE BACKGROUND: Over 12.5 million children and adolescents are obese in the United States (Nowak, Kolouch, Schneyer, & Roberts, 2012). Only 7% of youth are currently consuming the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables (Krebs-Smith & Cook, 1996). Children are required to receive some sort of schooling, thus schools are utilized as a prime location in the United States for nutrition and health education. It has been found that exposure to and knowledge about food items, such as fruits and vegetables, results with increased intake (Ohri-Vachaspati, Turner, & Chaloupka, 2012). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a nutrition education intervention with a school garden on kindergarten students' attitude and knowledge about fruits and vegetables. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A five-week quasi-experimental study design was used. Three kindergarten classrooms from the same school participated in the study: a control, an education only, and an education with a garden. A total of 62 kindergarten students made up the convenience sample for this study. The study was conducted during April and May of 2013 at Parrish Elementary School in Carbondale, Illinois. The intervention classrooms experienced a half hour nutrition education intervention twice a week, for five weeks. The intervention lessons were based on the Fresh from the Farm curriculum, specifically for the first grade population. The classroom with the garden had an additional hour throughout the week to work and explore a growing garden. The students were given a Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for baseline measurement and again after the five week intervention. The students' attitude was measured using a three-point hedonic scale, while nutrition knowledge was measured using three separate matching exercises: fruits and vegetables to color, nutrients, and body parts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Independent Variables: Demographics, Nutrition Education Intervention. Dependent Variables: Attitudes to Fruits and Vegetables, Nutrition Knowledge. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Descriptive statistics were run to evaluate the study's sample. Chi-square test for cross tabulations was used to evaluate the attitude and knowledge of the kindergarten students. RESULTS: Kindergarten students in the garden classroom had a p-value of <0.001 for the nutrient matching portion of the nutrition assessment. In addition, self-identified white students correctly matched nutrient to body part significantly better than self-identified black students, p< 0.05. An association was found between the garden classroom and correctly matching nutrients, p< 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Positive associations were found with students experiencing a school garden along with a nutrition a nutrition education intervention and their knowledge outcomes. The children in the garden classroom improved from pre-test to post-test, specifically with the nutrition matching portion of the nutrition knowledge. When compared with the education-only and control classrooms, the students in the garden classroom out-performed on the nutrient matching aspect of nutrition knowledge.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-10T14:23:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-06-15. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-12-10T14:29:16Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000849909.pdf: 2178933 bytes, checksum: e664624eaafb33c3c729c609bb94d892 (MD5) / A Opuntia ficus-indica (O. ficus), pertencente à família Cactaceae, é uma planta nativa do México e conhecida no Brasil como palma forrageira. Esta planta apresenta propriedades medicinais interessantes. O. ficus tem um bom potencial nutritivo é fácil cultivare muito utilizada na alimentação de pequenos ruminantes especialmente em zonas áridas do nordeste do Brasil. Embora esta planta seja usada como alimento para ovinos, a literatura não contém quaisquer relatórios sobre as suas propriedades anti-helmínticas. Portanto, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade ovicida e larvicida da O. ficus por meio dos extratos hidroalcoólicos de cladódios e frutas em ensaios de eclosão dos ovos (EHA), desenvolvimento larval (LDA) e migração larval (LMIA) usando ovos e larvas de nematoides gastrointestinais de ovinos naturalmente infectados. Para o EHA foi observada uma inibição da eclodibilidade de ovos maior do que 90% para ambos os brutos extratos dos cladódios e frutos na concentração de 50 mg/mL ou mais elevada (p <0,05). Ambos os extractos mostraram uma resposta dose dependente com o mesmo valor de IC 50 de 9,9 mg/mL. No LDA, o extrato hidroalcoólico bruto dos cladódios mostrou 98,7% de inibição do desenvolvimento das larvas a 12,5 mg/ml, enquanto o extrato hidroalcoólico bruto dos frutos apresentou 100% de atividade a 50 mg/ml, respectivamente, com um IC 50 de 3,4 mg/ml e 3,7 mg/ml (p <0,05). No LMIA, os resultados foram maiores do que 65% de inibição da migração das larvas na a parir da concentração de 1,56 mg/mL com IC 50 de 0,35 mg/mL e 0,76 mg/mL, respectivamente para os extrato brutos dos frutos e cladódios. O fracionamento dos extratos hidroalcoólicos brutos dos frutas e cladódios forneceu quatro fracções. Entre os extratos fraccionados, os extratos aquoso residual e em acetato de etilo dos cladódios, na concentração mais baixa testada (1,56 mg / ml) resultou em 100% de inibição do... / Opuntia fícus-indica (O. ficus), which is native to Mexico and is known as palma forrageira in Brazil, is a species belonging to the family Cactaceae. This plant displays interesting medicinal properties. O. ficus display good nutritional potential is easy to cultivate and is used as feed for small ruminants feed especially in arid areas of northeastern Brazil. Although this plant serves as food for sheep, the literature does not contain any reports on its anthelmintic properties. This paper reports on the ovicidal and larvicidal activity of O. ficus from hydroalcoholic extracts of cladodes and fruits through egg hatch assay (EHA), the larval development assay (LDA), and the larval migration assay (LMIA) using eggs and larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes of naturally infected sheep. For EHA was observed an egg hatch inhibition greater than 90% for both the crude extracts of cladodes and fruits when using a concentration of 50 mg/mL or higher (p < 0.05). Both extracts showed a dose-dependent response with the same value to LD 50 of 9.9 mg/mL. In the LDA, crude hydroalcoholic extract of cladodes showed 98.7 % of inhibition of larval development at 12.5 mg/ mL while the crude hydroalcoholic extract of fruits showed 100% at 50 mg/mL, respectively with an LD 50 of 3.4 mg/mL and 3.7 mg/mL (p < 0.05). In the LMIA, crude extracts showed results greater than 65% inhibition of larval migration at 1.56 mg/mL revealing LD 50 of 0.35 mg/mL and 0.76 mg/mL for the extract of fruit and cladodes, respectively. Fractionation of the crude hydroalcoholic extracts of fruits and cladodes yielded four fractions. Among the fractionated extracts, the residual aqueous and in ethyl acetate extracts of cladodes, in the lowest concentration tested (1.56 mg/mL) resulted in 100% inhibition of larval development. The same result was obtained for n-hexane and aqueous extract of fruits. Therefore, the LD 50 for LDA could not be calculated for these extracts. The ...