Survival Rate and Selected Essential Metals in Drosophila Melanogaster Fed with Different Concentrations Of Chitosan
*1 Igharo, O.G., 1Omonye, I.P., 2Osakue, J.O. and 1Osadolor, H.B.
1Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
2Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
Corresponding Author: osaretin.igharo@uniben.edu; Tel: 08038664896
Recieved Date: June, 2020; Accepted Date: June, 2020; Published Date: June, 2020
ABSTRACT
Background: Chitosan is a copolymer of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine and it has an amine functional group which is strongly reactive with metal ions. Objective: To evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of varied concentrations of chitosan on survival rate and selected essential metal levels in Harwich Strain of Drosophila melanogaster. Materials and Methods: For the survival study, the flies were allowed to feed on different concentrations of chitosan meal for 14 days. The survival assay was noted by taking daily readings of the number of death in each treatment vial, and standard Survival Assay was used to estimate their survival rate. For the chitosan treatment, seven treatment groups (I- VII) were fed with 10µg, 20µg, 40µg, 320µg, 640µg, 1mg chitosan meal respectively. Group VII was the control containing no chitosan treatment. Each treatment vials had 50 Drosophila melanogaster flies and they were allowed to feed on the meal for seven (7) days prior to biochemical assay. The flies were homogenized and levels of the essential metals (copper, zinc and selenium) were determined using the inductively coupled plasma –mass spectrometry. Results: Flies fed with varying concentrations of chitosan in diet had higher survival rate than the control group. Levels of copper, zinc, and selenium in the control group were not significantly different compared with all groups of flies fed with the varied chitosan concentrations in meal. Conclusion: It could be deduced that dietary inclusion of chitosan in Drosophila meals may prolong fly survival and but may not modulate the levels of the essential metals.