Supplementing with vitamin C the diet of honeybees (Apis mellifera carnica) parasitized with Varroa destructor: effects on antioxidative status.
We studied a total of eight developmental stages of capped brood and newly emerged workers of Apis mellifera carnica colonies naturally parasitized with Varroa destructor. During winter and early spring four colonies were fed syrup containing 1.8 mg vitamin C kg(-1) (ascorbic acid group; group AA) while four colonies were fed syrup without the vitamin C (control group C). Selected elements of the antioxidative system were analysed including total antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione content and antioxidative enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase). Body weight, protein content and indices of infestation were also determined. The prevalence (8.11%) and intensity (1·15 parasite per bee) of the infestation were lower in group AA compared with group C (11.3% and 1.21, respectively). Changes in the indicators of antioxidative stress were evidence for the strengthening of the antioxidative system in the brood by administration of vitamin C. In freshly emerged worker bees of group AA, despite the infestation, protein content, TAS, and the activity of all antioxidative enzymes had significantly higher values in relation to group C.
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 1A Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Marek
M
Farjan
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 1A Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Elżbieta
E
Łopieńska-Biernat
Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Bydgoska Str. 1/8, 10-243 Olsztyn, Poland.
Zbigniew
Z
Lipiński
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 1A Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Małgorzata
M
Dmitryjuk
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 1A Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Krystyna
K
Żółtowska
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001516:Bees / Q000201:enzymology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D057077:Varroidae / Q000502:physiology*
D000975:Antioxidants; D011506:Proteins; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid