Oxidative Stress Induced By The Metallic Oxide The Copper Oxide (Cuo-Nps) On Terrestrial Snail Helix Aspersa

Our study focused on the evaluation of the toxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) on a bioindicator; the land snail Helix aspersa. Their effects were studied by a targeted approach in the laboratory, by evaluating the oxidative stress biomarkers in hepatopancreas and kidney (GSH, GST, GPx, CAT, and LPO). The snails were exposed to increasing concentrations (50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg) of CuO-NPs mixed in wheat flour during a sub-chronic treatment period of 45 days. Our results show that: CuO-NPs can induce oxidative stress, by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was confirmed by the decrease in glutathione (GSH) level and reduction of its metabolizing enzyme glutathione-s-transferase (GST) in both organs, as they trigger the detoxification system resulting in increased activity of the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase defense enzyme and lipide peroxidation indices within the hepatopancreas.

Characterization of Weissella viridescens UCO-SMC3 as a Potential Probiotic for the Skin: Its Beneficial Role in the Pathogenesis of Acne Vulgaris

Previously, we isolated lactic acid bacteria from the slime of the garden snail Helix aspersa Müller and selected Weissella viridescens UCO-SMC3 because of its ability to inhibit in vitro the growth of the skin-associated pathogen Cutibacterium acnes. The present study aimed to characterize the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of W. viridescens UCO-SMC3 and to demonstrate its beneficial effect in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Our in vitro studies showed that the UCO-SMC3 strain resists adverse gastrointestinal conditions, inhibits the growth of clinical isolates of C. acnes, and reduces the adhesion of the pathogen to keratinocytes. Furthermore, in vivo studies in a mice model of C. acnes infection demonstrated that W. viridescens UCO-SMC3 beneficially modulates the immune response against the skin pathogen. Both the oral and topical administration of the UCO-SCM3 strain was capable of reducing the replication of C. acnes in skin lesions and beneficially modulating the inflammatory response. Of note, orally administered W. viridescens UCO-SMC3 induced more remarkable changes in the immune response to C. acnes than the topical treatment. However, the topical administration of W. viridescens UCO-SMC3 was more efficient than the oral treatment to reduce pathogen bacterial loads in the skin, and effects probably related to its ability to inhibit and antagonize the adhesion of C. acnes. Furthermore, a pilot study in acne volunteers demonstrated the capacity of a facial cream containing the UCO-SMC3 strain to reduce acne lesions. The results presented here encourage further mechanistic and clinical investigations to characterize W. viridescens UCO-SMC3 as a probiotic for acne vulgaris treatment.

Comparative toxicity of abamectin and nano-derived form on land snail, Helix aspersa in attributing to cytotoxicity and biochemical alterations

The comparative toxic effect of Vertimec® 1.8% EC, Fast Max Super® 8.4% SC and nano-derived form of abamectin (ABM) (1% nano-emulsion) as a dermal contact for 48 h against land snail, Helix aspersa was evaluated at laboratorial trail. Acute toxicity values (LD50) were 6.45, 11.97, and 45.95 µg snail-1 for nano-derived form of ABM, Fast Max Super® and Vertimec®, respectively. Nano-derived form exhibited the highest toxic effects (1.86 and 7.12-folds), respect to Fast Max Super® and Vertimec®. Sublethal doses: 1/10 and 1/100 LD50s of the examined compounds were applied to evaluate some biochemical alterations e.g. acetylcholinesterase (AChE), malondialdhyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), respectively, in haemolymph and digestive glands homogenates. The all treatments significantly decreased AChE activity in ganglia homogenate, respect to control group (untreated). All treatments exhibited MDA level and LDH activity greater than the control in both haemolymph and digestive gland. This concept recognizes the cytotoxic effect of ABM on gastropods. Significant declines in GST, ACP, and ALP activities were exhibited in homogenate of digestive gland for the all treatments. However, AST/ALT activities exhibited increase greater than untreated group. These findings may explain the role of these doses of ABM for dysfunction in organs of H. aspersa. Thus, prepared nano-emulsion was more potent toxic on land snails. However, H. aspersa is considered a useful tool to assess ecotoxicological impact of pesticides.

Analysis of garden snail (Helix aspersa Muller) mucus for the presence of potential effectors of hemostasis system

Today, there are many approaches to new drugs development, but none of them can replace the important role of natural products in the discovery and development of drugs. Natural raw materials remain an extremely important source of medicines. A number of biologically active molecules of natural origin have already found a direct medicinal use, while many others can serve as chemical models or templates for the design and synthesis of new pharmaceutical agents. Snail mucus has been attracting the attention of scientists for many years as a source of natural biologically active substances. The components of snail mucus have been repeatedly tested for antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. In this work, the biological effects of components of the mucus of the garden snail Helix aspersa, distributed in Ukraine, were studied. The research results proved the presence of protein molecules, some of which had a pronounced proteolytic potential with specificity for gelatin, collagen and fibrinogen. When mucus was added to blood plasma, its components initiated the formation of active thrombin, and also prolonged the clotting time of plasma in the coagulation test APTT. In addition, the components of H. aspersa mucus enhanced the effect of platelet aggregation inducer and inhibited their disaggregation. It was proved that the components of H. aspersa mucus had no cytotoxic effect. The obtained results indicate the prospects and importance of further experiments on the study of mucus protein fractions in order to identify individual biologically active molecules responsible for the manifestation of these effects. A detailed analysis of the composition and study of the properties of snail mucus will serve as a basis for obtaining potentially new substances with targeted activities and their further use in various industries, including pharmaceutical.

An 1H NMR- and MS-Based Study of Metabolites Profiling of Garden Snail Helix aspersa Mucus

Metabolic profiling based on 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was applied with the aim to investigate the functional role of the metabolites in lyophilized mucus from the garden snail Helix aspersa. Twenty metabolites were unambiguously identified by 1H, 1D TOCSY, 2D J-resolved, 2D COSY, and 2D HSQC NMR spectra with water suppression. The metabolic profiles of two fractions with low molecular weight (Mw < 1 kDa and Mw < 3 kDa) are very similar. Metabolites with known antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial activity were detected by NMR metabolic analysis of mucus samples from Helix aspersa. Some of them were confirmed by mass spectrometric analysis. The primary structure of several peptides was identified in low molecular weight fractions (Mw < 1 kDa) by tandem mass spectrometry.

Acute effects of tartrazine (E102) exposure on behavior, and histology of land snail Helix aspersa biological model

Introduction. Tartrazine is an azofood additive widely used in the pharmaceu-cal, cosmetic, food, and other industries. Objective. To assess the effects of tartrazineon the attitude to move and to eat, and histological changes in digestive, and renal sys-tem, after an acute treatment on a biological model the snail Helix aspersa. Material and Methods. Snails were exposed orally, and by contact to flour contaminated with this dye for 24 hours. Adult snails were divided into two groups of 20 animals each. The control group fed flour alone. The experimental group was administered orally with flour treated with tartrazine (200mg/g flour). Results. The observation of behaviour revealed inhibitory effects of tartrazine on locomotion, and nutrition of snails. Histolo-gical examination of intestines, hepatopancreas, and kidney of treated animals showed altered tissue structures, with advanced degeneration of digestive tubules, connective tissue, and smooth muscle fibers of the walls surrounding the three organs, in response to tartrazine, compared to controls. Conclusion. This study suggests that acute exposure to tartrazine may lead to disorders in locomotor, and nutritional behavior, in addition to tissue alterations. Therefore, this study on behavior, supported by histological changes in H. Aspersa can be used as potential biomarkers of exposure to other azodyes.