Suplementação com Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) em ratas lactantes e manipulação do tamanho da ninhada: uma avaliação da maturação reflexa e somática da prole.

Abstract

Protein failure in human nutrition is one of the problems of developing countries, so it is necessary to increase and diversify sources of protein and develop new conventional sources. Accordingly spirulina is presented as an alternative to supply those nutrients. Even though the use of widely reported spirulina for human consumption, there is still a scientific gap regarding the use of this microalgae by women during pregnancy. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of dietary spirulina supplementation in rats with litters manipulated during lactation on the reflex and somatic maturation and physical parameters of the offspring. We used primiparous rats Wistar, with 90 days old and weight 250 ± 50 g for obtaining lactating rats. During lactation (21 days) the experimental groups were supplemented with 8% of spirulina solution and control groups with distilled water by gavage. All groups received the solutions in the proportion of 2ml/100 g of animal weight. Experimental animals received standard diet and water ad libitum. Two control groups were formed: CON N (six puppies by litters); CON G (twelve puppies by litters); SPI N (six puppies by litters) and SPI G (twelve puppies by litters). For evaluating the development of newborns we observed the following reflexes: disappearance of palm grasp (PG), and appearances of the following responses: righting reflex (RR), cliff avoidance (CA), vibrissae placing (VP), negative geotaxis (NG), auditory startle (AS) and free-fall righting (FR). The maximum observation time was 10 seconds. The somatic parameters were measured: ear unfolding (EU), auditory conduit opening (ACO), eye opening (EO), eruption of superior incisors (ESI), eruption of inferior incisors (EII), fur appearance (FA) and tail length (CC). The CON G group had lower body weight and shorter tail compared to the CON N. SPI G on the 14th day showed less weight compared to the CON N, on the 21st day more weight compared to CON G, and longer length of tail during last three weeks also compared with CON G (p <0.05). The SPI N, showed a greater length of the tail on day 7 compared to two control groups, at day 14 compared to all groups and at day 21 compared to only CON G. It may be noted that the delay introduced CON G PG, RR, VP, NG and ESI compared to CON N. Regarding the SPI N there was anticipation in PG, VP, NG, EU, ESI, EII and ACO compared to CON G and delay in the AS compared to CON N. In SPI G , there was anticipation in the RR compared to all groups, accelerating the CA and NG, delayed VP compared to CON G, acceleration in EU compared to two control groups, as well as ACO (p <0.05). In this same group introduced EU delayed compared to the SPI N and anticipation in the ESI compared to CON G. Furthermore, the AS in the same group was delayed when compared to CON N (p <0.05). It was concluded that supplementation with spirulina during lactation was able to reverse damage to some physical parameters, and somatic reflex maturation induced by malnutrition caused by an increase in the offspring litter sizes.