Effect of Allium cepa and Allium sativum feeding on glucose, glycogen, protein bands profile and phenol oxidase activity in Biomphalaria alexandrina.

Abstract

Feeding B. alexandrina on onion and garlic powder (Allium cepa and Allium sativum) separately exert some biological and biochemical changes. The effect of the two plants on glucose and glycogen which are the energy fuel of the snails, and on phenol oxidase (PO) activity after 1, 2, 3 and 7 days were studied. Different protein bands were separated from the control and treated snails haemolymph after 24 hours and one week by using SDS-electrophoresis. The study revealed that glucose and glycogen were decreased significantly after feeding on onion and garlic. Also phenol oxidase (PO) activity was highly significantly decreased after 2 and 7 days of feeding on garlic while feeding on onion decreased the activity of the enzyme at all periods. Data obtained from SDS-electrophoresis showed variations in the different protein bands reflect the enzymatic change in the snails' tissue. So, the snails' fecundity may be reduced and in turn disturb the life cycle of schistosome parasite.