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A compound from olive remains produces faster growth in trouts

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09.10.2006

Mónica Fernández Navarro´s doctoral thesis, presented recently in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Granada arises as a result of the teorethical research works of Professor José Antonio Lupiáñez Cara on molecular aspects and the protein manipulation in living organisms.

Using such knowledge and maslinic acid isolation from olive remains by scientists of the Department of Organic Chemistry of the UGR [http://www.ugr.es], they started to do research into the growth possibilities of this compound, which works as a serin protease inhibitor, for fishes like rainbow trouts. Results are clear: fishes whose diets are complemented with maslinic acid grow bigger and sooner, and fewer of them die. It has been observed that these animals live better, that their scales and fins look better and that the normal death rate in fish farms, between 5 and 10%, reduces almost to zero.

Despite a lot of additives work as toxins in some species, maslinic acid has worked quite the opposite in rainbow trouts. Cells of these animals get better structured if they are supplied with this compound; its application in animal feeding is already waiting for its patent at international level.

Experiments have gone on for 225 days in 3 consecutive years to observe the growth process of fishes. In all, between three thousand and five hundred and four thousand animals have been studied, with an initial weight of 20 grams, especially brought from the fish farm for the study. Its growth and development is observed in five experimental groups, which are supplied with five types of doses: 1, 5, 25, 50, 100 and 250 miligrams for each kilogram of diet.

Fight against AIDS

Maslinic acid is a pentacyclic terpenic with antioxidant and anti-cancer effects which could have possitive consequences in the fight against AIDS; they are being studied in the Institute Carlos III under the supervision of Professor Vallejo Nájera. Currently, the group of Professor Lupiáñez Cara is working on anti-cancer effects of maslinic acid. To this end, it is necessary to go deeply into pharmacodynamic research, and into the selective capacity of this compound to inhibit cell apoptosis, this is, interruption of the planned cell death that caused by cancer.

Antonio Marín Ruiz | Source: alphagalileo
Further information: www.ugr.es
prensa.ugr.es/prensa/research/index.php

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