OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of antidepressants and pilocarpine on the quantity of myoepithelial cells and on the proliferation index of the epithelial cells of rat parotid glands. INTRODUCTION: Hyposalivation, xerostomia, and alterations in saliva composition are important clinical side effects related to the use of antidepressants. METHODS: Ninety male Wistar rats were allocated to nine groups. The control groups received saline for 30 (group C30) or 60 days (group C60) or pilocarpine for 60 days (group Pilo). The experimental groups were administered fluoxetine (group F30) or venlafaxine for 30 days (group V30); fluoxetine (group FS60) or venlafaxine (group VS60) with saline for 60 days; or fluoxetine (group FP60) or venlafaxine (group VP60) with pilocarpine for 60 days. Parotid gland specimens were processed, and the immunohistochemical expression of calponin and proliferating cell nuclear anti-antigen on the myoepithelial and parenchymal cells, respectively, was evaluated. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey HSD and Games-Howell tests were applied to detect differences among groups (p<0.05). RESULTS: Compared with the controls, chronic exposure to antidepressants was associated with an increase in the number of positively stained cells for calponin. In addition, venlafaxine administration for 30 days was associated with an increase in the number of positively stained cells for proliferating cell nuclear anti-antigen. Fluoxetine and pilocarpine (group FP60) induced a significant decrease in the number of positively stained cells for calponin compared with all other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The number of positively stained cells for calponin increased after chronic administration of antidepressants. The proliferation index of the epithelial cells of rat parotid glands was not altered by the use of antidepressants for 60 days.

Avaliou-se, em casa de vegetação, a influência de 14 isolados de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) no crescimento e extração de Zn, Cd, Cu e Pb pela Brachiaria decumbens em solo contaminado. Foram utilizadas plantas com e sem FMA, em vasos com 0,92 kg de solo com (mg kg-1): Zn, 3.300; Cu, 60; Cd, 29; Pb, 73. Os isolados fúngicos tiveram efeitos diferenciados no crescimento e aumentaram a produção de matéria seca em 84%. Os teores de metais na planta foram elevados e apresentaram relação inversa com a produção de matéria seca. Verificou-se que os FMA não afetaram os teores de Pb, mas reduziram em 20, 28 e 63% os teores de Zn, Cd e Cu na parte aérea, respectivamente, e aumentaram os teores de Cu nas raízes em mais de 1.000%. Os FMA aumentaram a quantidade de metais extraídos do solo em 845, 142, 68 e 54% para Cu, Pb, Zn e Cd, respectivamente. Acaulospora spinosa, Acaulospora morrowiae-UFLA e Gigaspora gigantea aumentaram a extração simultânea dos quatro metais contaminantes. Os FMA, de acordo com a espécie, aumentam a capacidade da B. decumbens de extrair metais pesados do solo.

The influence of 14 arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal isolates (AMF) on brachiariagrass growth and extraction of Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb from a contaminated soil was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. Mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal Brachiaria decumbens plants were grown in pots with 0.92 kg of soil containing (mg kg-1): Zn, 3,300; Cu, 60; Cd, 29; Pb, 73. The AMF increased dry matter yield in 84%. Plant heavy metal concentrations were high and were inversely related to dry matter yield. Isolates caused no effect on Pb, but reduced shoot Zn, Cd and Cu concentrations by 20, 28 and 63%, respectively. It was observed effect of mycorrhiza on Cu accumulation in roots (over 1,000%). Isolates enhanced the total amount of soil extracted metals by 845, 142, 68 and 54% for Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively. Only Acaulospora spinosa, Acaulospora morrowiae-UFLA and Gigaspora gigantea enhanced simultaneous soil extraction of all the four metals. The AMF increase the capacity of B. decumbens to extract contaminant heavy metals from soil, with differentiated effects amongst species.

Conduziu-se o presente trabalho objetivavando-se avaliar o efeito de diferentes regimes hídricos sobre alguns aspectos da anatomia da raiz das seguintes gramíneas: Echinochloa pyramidalis (canarana), Setaria anceps (setária) e Paspalum paniculatum (paspalo). As plantas foram cultivadas em casa-de-vegetação e submetidas a três regimes hídricos: regas diárias; suspensão da rega e suspensão da rega seguida de submersão do sistema radicular. Foram retirados segmentos da parte mediana das raízes, os quais foram submetidos a técnicas clássicas em botânica para confecção de lâminas e análise de tecidos. Foram observadas diferenças anatômicas nas três espécies de gramíneas submetidas aos três regimes hídricos com relação ao número de camadas de células do córtex externo e o espessamento de lignina e/ou suberina. As raízes em submersão nas três espécies apresentaram uma tendência de aumento na proporção da área do córtex destinada a aerênquimas, além de um espessamento tanto da endoderme como das células do parênquima medular. Pela presença de aerênquimas nas três espécies sujeitas aos três regimes hídricos, infere-se que esses são constitutivos. As adaptações desenvolvidas por essas espécies contribuíram na compreensão da ocorrência dessas em áreas que passam por períodos de seca e inundações sucessivas.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different water regimes on some aspects of root anatomy of three grasses: Echinochloa pyramidalis (canarana), Setaria anceps (setária) and Paspalum paniculatum (paspalo). The plants were cultivated in a greenhouse and submitted to three water regimes: daily watering; suspension of watering and suspension of watering followed by submersion of the root system. Segments of the middle part of the roots were taken and submitted to classical techniques in botany for slide making and tissue analysis. Anatomical differences were observed among the three grasses submitted to water regimes regarding the number of cell layers in the external cortex and thickening of lignin and suberin. The submerged roots of the three species presented an increasing tendency in the proportion of the area of the cortex destined for the aerenchyma besides thickening of the endodermis and the cells of the medullar parenchyma. The aerenchyma presence in the three water regimes suggested it is a characteristic of these species. The adaptations developed by these species contributed to the understanding of their occurrence in areas that are subject to drought periods and successive floods.