title: Neem oil (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) affects the ultrastructure of the midgut muscle of Ceraeochrysa claveri (Navás, 1911) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).
abstract: Cytomorphological changes, by means of ultrastructural analyses, have been used to determine the effects of the biopesticide neem oil on the muscle fibers of the midgut of the predator Ceraeochrysa claveri. Insects, throughout the larval period, were fed eggs of Diatraea saccharalis treated with neem oil at a concentration of 0.5%, 1% or 2%. In the adult stage, the midgut was collected from female insects at two stages of adulthood (newly emerged and at the start of oviposition) and processed for ultrastructural analyses. In the newly emerged insects obtained from neem oil treatments, muscle fibers showed a reduction of myofilaments as well as swollen mitochondria and an accumulation of membranous structures. Muscular fibers responded to those cellular injuries with the initiation of detoxification mechanisms, in which acid phosphatase activity was observed in large vesicles located at the periphery of the muscle fiber. At the start of oviposition in the neem oil treated insects, muscle fibers exhibited signs of degeneration, containing vacant areas in which contractile myofilaments were reduced or completely absent, and an accumulation of myelin structures, a dilatation of cisternae of sarcoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondrial swelling and cristolysis were observed. Enzymatic activity for acid phosphatase was present in large vesicles, indicating that mechanisms of lytic activity during the cell injury were utilized but insufficient for recovery from all the cellular damage. The results indicate that the visceral muscle layer is also the target of action of neem oil, and the cytotoxic effects observed may compromise the function of that organ.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Insects, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: escudeler@ibb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Elton Luiz
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Scudeler
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Insects, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: aninhacavassani@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Ana Silvia Gimenes
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: pinheiro@ibb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Patricia Fernanda Felipe
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Insects, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: daniela@ibb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Daniela Carvalho Dos
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D061046:Biological Control Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005989:Glycerides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009036:Moths; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009210:Myofibrils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015053:Zygote / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents; D005989:Glycerides; D013729:Terpenes; C002443:neem oil; D000135:Acid Phosphatase
keywords: Biopesticide; Cytotoxicity; Green lacewing; Midgut; Ultrastructure