Super food or super toxic? Turmeric and spirulina as culprits for the toxic effects of food dyes in Drosophila

von Hellfeld, Rebecca; Christie, Craig; Derous, Davina; Morimoto, Juliano

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104600

Cited by 3 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…( 17 ) found that turmeric shortened lifespan in D. melanogaster adults. Similarly, von Hellfeld et al ( 14 ) found that increasing turmeric concentration in the diet decreased oviposition in adult females and subsequently reduced egg-to-adult viability in the developing larvae in D. malanogaster. In fact, the study showed that high turmeric levels (>5%) could lead to complete developmental arrest ( 14 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Similarly, von Hellfeld et al ( 14 ) found that increasing turmeric concentration in the diet decreased oviposition in adult females and subsequently reduced egg-to-adult viability in the developing larvae in D. malanogaster. In fact, the study showed that high turmeric levels (>5%) could lead to complete developmental arrest ( 14 ). The molecular mechanisms through which turmeric – or compounds therein – leads to toxicity in insects is uncertain but Rahman et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Each diet had two turmeric levels: control (0%) and treatment (5%) turmeric (w/v) (Turmeric from Sevenhills Wholefoods®). The product has a reported average curcumin content of 2.5%.We selected 5% turmeric concentration for this study to test whether similar toxicity levels were observed in houseflies as we found in D. melanogaster ( 14 ). Our final sample sizes per diet treatment with and without turmeric, respectively, were for Sucrose (n = 30, 26), M (n = 34, 33), HY (n = 28, 24) and BY (n = 19, 15), for a total of 213 data points.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Turmeric ( Curcuma longa ) is a spice that is native to southeast Asia and is used worldwide as a medicinal plant, food colouring agent, and an ingredient in supplements ( 12 , 13 ). Studies have shown that turmeric is toxic to insects, likely in part due to its main compound, curcumin, making this spice a candidate as natural pest control agent ( 14 – 18 ). For example, a study by Muhammad et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, however, we still need a better understanding of how diet and natural toxic compounds interact in models other than D. melanogaster (see e.g. past work by 14 – 18 ). Simpson and Raubenheimer ( 40 ) showed that mortality was independent of the allelochemical compounds tannic acid when locusts Locusta migratoria were fed in near-optimum protein-to-carbohydrate (PC) ratios, but the toxicity effect increased as the PC ratio became more unbalanced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Turmeric shortens lifespan in houseflies

Laurie,

Ainslie,

Mitchell

et al. 2024

Front. Insect Sci.

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Climate change poses a significant threat to food security and global public health with the increasing likelihood of insect pest outbreaks. Alternative ways to control insect populations, preferably using environmental-friendly compounds, are needed. Turmeric has been suggested as a natural insecticide with toxicity properties in some insect groups. However, empirical evidence of the effects of turmeric – and their interaction with other ecological factors such as diet – on insect survival has been limited. Here, we tested the effects of turmeric and its interactions with diets differing in protein source in the common housefly, Musca domestica. We found that turmeric shortened lifespan independent of diet and sex. Females in turmeric diets were heavier at death, which was likely driven by a combination of relatively lower rates of body mass loss during their lifetime and a higher percentage of water content at death. Each sex responded differently to the protein source in the diet, and the magnitude of the difference in lifespan between sexes were greatest in diets in which protein source was hydrolysed yeast; individuals from both sexes lived longest in sucrose-milk diets and shortest in diets with hydrolysed yeast. There was no evidence of an interaction between turmeric and diet, suggesting that the toxicity effects are independent of protein source in the diet. Given the seemingly opposing effects of turmeric in insects and mammals being uncovered in the literature, our findings provide further evidence in support of turmeric as a potential natural insecticide.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Turmeric shortens lifespan in houseflies

Laurie,

Ainslie,

Mitchell

et al. 2024

Front. Insect Sci.

Self Cite

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Fruit ripening retardant Daminozide induces cognitive impairment, cell specific neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Das,

Ghosh,

Dutta

et al. 2024

NeuroToxicology

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Dietary Curcumin Intake and Its Effects on the Transcriptome and Metabolome of Drosophila melanogaster

Belcher,

Flores-Iga,

Natarajan

et al. 2024

IJMS

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Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from Curcuma longa, used as a dietary spice, has garnered attention for its therapeutic potential, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Despite its known benefits, the precise mechanisms underlying curcumin’s effects on consumers remain unclear. To address this gap, we employed the genetic model Drosophila melanogaster and leveraged two omics tools—transcriptomics and metabolomics. Our investigation revealed alterations in 1043 genes and 73 metabolites upon supplementing curcumin into the diet. Notably, we observed genetic modulation in pathways related to antioxidants, carbohydrates, and lipids, as well as genes associated with gustatory perception and reproductive processes. Metabolites implicated in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and biomarkers linked to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, and aging were also identified. The study highlighted a strong correlation between the curcumin diet, antioxidant mechanisms, and amino acid metabolism. Conversely, a lower correlation was observed between carbohydrate metabolism and cholesterol biosynthesis. This research highlights the impact of curcumin on the diet, influencing perception, fertility, and molecular wellness. Furthermore, it directs future studies toward a more focused exploration of the specific effects of curcumin consumption.

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Super food or super toxic? Turmeric and spirulina as culprits for the toxic effects of food dyes in Drosophila

Cited by 3 publications

References 45 publications

Turmeric shortens lifespan in houseflies

Turmeric shortens lifespan in houseflies

Fruit ripening retardant Daminozide induces cognitive impairment, cell specific neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Dietary Curcumin Intake and Its Effects on the Transcriptome and Metabolome of Drosophila melanogaster

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