The isoproteic and isoenergetic diets differed regarding DCLM levels (0, 10, and 20%) (Table 1) and, for their production, ingredients were milled in particles smaller than 500 [micro]m, homogenized and moistened with water at 65[degrees]C for 48 h.
Fishes in the polyculture system without DCLM in the diet (T1) presented the best results for this variable when compared to those in the monoculture system, which can be explained by the presence of canela shrimps.
DCLM addition to the diet did not significantly impact the zootechnical parameters of curimata-pacu in monoculture.
Considering that the same stocking densities were used in the different treatments and that the better results were observed in fishes fed with no DCLM, the feeding management used in the study may also have contributed to the negative results observed in polyculture.
Although no significant difference was observed between treatments, shrimps subjected to 10% DCLM treatment presented higher final weight and AGR.
Unlike the canela shrimps, the best results for the zootechnical parameters of curimata-pacu fishes in polyculture were obtained in the control treatment, in the absence of DCLM.
In order to examine this hypothesis, we set out to characterize the contractile responses of distal colon longitudinal muscles (DCLM) to the Atractylodes japonica extracts in rats.
AJEA (1 x [10.sup.-12] to 1 x [10.sup.-5] g/ml), an EtOAc extract of Atracty-lodes japonica, dose-dependently stimulated the spontaneous contractility of DCLM (Fig.
3A, AJEA reproduced a typical pattern of muscle contractility in the DCLM of rats.
To understand the pharmacological mechanism responsible for the stimulatory effects of AJEA on the DCLM contractility, a possible involvement of the muscarinic and/or serotoninergic receptors was investigated using pharmacological strategy.
3A), this study hypothesized that increase of ACh and/or 5-HT synthesis and release in the enteric nerve systems possibly mediates the stimulatory effects of AJEA on the DCLM contractility and examined this hypothesis using acetylethylcholine mustard, a selective choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) inhibitor (Heldman et al.
We fractionated Atractylodes japonica with MeOH, n-hexane, [CHCl.sub.3], EtOAc and n-BuOH and observed that only AJEA, EtOAc fraction, significantly stimulated the spontaneous contractility of DCLM. Moreover, an obvious stimulatory response to AJEA was observed only in the DCLM, but not in the other regions of GI smooth muscles including the distal colon circular muscles.