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Abstract Substances from the Cannabis sativa species, especially cannabidiol (CBD) and Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), have attracted medical attention in recent years. The actions of these two main cannabinoids modulate the cholinergic nervous system (CholNS) involving development, synaptic plasticity, and response to endogenous and environmental damage, as a characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases. The dynamics of these diseases are mediated by specific neurotransmitters, such as the GABAergic nervous system (GNS) and the CholNS. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important experimental model, which has different neurotransmitter systems that coordinate its behavior and has a transgene strain that encodes the human β-amyloid 1–42 peptide in body wall muscle, one of the main proteins involved in Alzheimer´s disease. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the protective potential of terpenoids found in C. sativa in the GNS and CholNS of C. elegans. The effect of two C. sativa oils with variations in CBD and THC concentrations on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, lipid peroxidation, and behavior of C. elegans was evaluated. C. sativa oils were efficient in increasing pharyngeal pumping rate and reducing defecation cycle, AChE activity, and ROS levels in N2 strains. In the muscle:Abeta1-42 strain, mainly when using CBD oil, worm movement, body bends, and pharyngeal pumping were increased, with a reduced AChE activity. Consequently, greater investments in scientific research are needed, in addition to breaking the taboo on the use of the C. sativa plant as an alternative for medicinal use, especially in neurodegenerative diseases, which have already shown positive initial results.

O emprego de espécies vegetais para fitorremediação de solos contaminados com herbicidas persistentes, como os inibidores da enzima protoporfirinogênio oxidase (PROTOX), é uma alternativa interessante dos pontos de vista econômico e ambiental. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de fomesafen e sulfentrazone nas características relacionadas à fisiologia de espécies hibernais com potencial para aplicação como fitorremediadoras de solo contaminado por esses herbicidas. Dois experimentos foram instalados em casa de vegetação, um com o herbicida fomesafen e outro com o sulfentrazone, no delineamento de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Foram testadas doses dos herbicidas fomesafen (0,0; 0,125; 0,250; e 0,5 kg ha-1) e sulfentrazone (0,0; 0,3; 0,6; e 1,2 kg ha-1), marcas comerciais Flex® e Boral 500®, respectivamente, aplicadas na pré-emergência das espécies com potencial fitorremediador (aveia-preta, ervilhaca, nabo e cornichão). Aos 45 dias após a emergência das plantas, foram avaliados o índice de clorofila, a eficiência de carboxilação (EC- mol CO2 m-2 s-1), a condutância estomática de vapores de água (Gs - mol m-1 s-1), a concentração interna de CO2 (Ci - µmol mol-1), a taxa de transpiração (E - mol H2O m-2 s-1), a quantidade de CO2 consumido (QT - µmol mol-1), o uso eficiente da água (UEA - mol CO2 mol H2O-1), a temperatura da folha ΔT (ºC), a taxa fotossintética (A - µmol m-2 s-1) e a massa seca (g vaso-1) da parte aérea. Observou-se que a ervilhaca apresenta os melhores resultados para todas as variáveis avaliadas, demonstrando assim potencial para ser testada como fitorremediadora de solos contaminados com os herbicidas fomesafen e sulfentrazone.

The effects of various levels of oxygen saturation and ammonia concentration on NTPDase (ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase, E.C. 3.6.1.5) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE, E.C. 3.1.1.7) activities in whole brain of teleost fish (Rhamdia quelen) were investigated. The fish were exposed to one of two different dissolved oxygen levels, including high oxygen (6.5 mg.L-1) or low oxygen (3.5 mg.L-1), and one of two different ammonia levels, including high ammonia (0.1 mg.L-1) or low ammonia (0.03 mg.L-1) levels. The four experimental groups included the following (A) control, or high dissolved oxygen plus low NH3; (B) low dissolved oxygen plus low NH3; (C) high dissolved oxygen plus high NH3; (D) low dissolved oxygen plus high NH3. We found that enzyme activities were altered after 24 h exposure in groups C and D. ATP and ADP hydrolysis in whole brain of fish was enhanced in group D after 24 h exposure by 100% and 119%, respectively, compared to the control group. After 24 h exposure, AChE activity presented an increase of 34% and 39% in groups C and D, respectively, when compared to the control group. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that low oxygen levels increase ammonia toxicity. Moreover, the hypoxic events may increase blood flow by hypoxia increasing NTPDase activity, thus producing adenosine, a potent vasodilator.