Evaluación estacional de fitoestrógenos en heces de machos del murciélago frutero jamaiquino (Artibeus jamaicensis Leich, 1821).

Abstract

Artibeus jamaicensis Leich, 1821, obtains its basic energetic requirements to survive and to reproduce from fruits and leaves, even though some of them may contain harmful phytochemicals that could act as estrogens (phytoestrogens, PTE); thus provoking endocrine disruption in its reproductive physiology. PTE derive from isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans, phenolic fluorescent compounds that can be detected through thin layer chromatography. Here we evaluate the presence of these three groups in the feces of adult males of A. jamaicensis, by means of representative analites (genistein, GEN; zearalenone, ZEA; coumestrol, COU, respectively) in order to verify: a) which analites were present, and b) whether they had a temporal pattern or they remained constant along the year. We further examined if we could qualitatively link temporal patterns of phytochemicals with the reproductive activity of males, using the position of their testes. Although we detected neither presence of GEN, ZEA or COU, we did observed stains from unknown phytochemical fluorescent compounds (UPFC), according to annual seasons and to pluvial regimen, as well as to the position of the testes. The finding of these UPFC, together with its temporal coincidence with the reproductive activity of males, elicits more questions about the possible influence that these substances could have on the reproductive activity of A. jamaicensis.