Effects of starvation for 4–20 days on the neutral lipid and phospholipid content of Biomphalaria glabrata as determined by high performance thin layer chromatography-densitometry

ABSTRACT

The effects of 4, 7, 10, 14, and 20 days of starvation on the neutral and phospholipid levels of Biomphalaria glabrata were determined by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometry. Snails were maintained in artificial spring water in jars at 25 ± 1°C. The digestive gland–gonad complex was extracted with chloroform–methanol (2:1), and Analtech laned preadsorbent silica gel HPTLC plates were used with petroleum ether–diethyl ether–glacial acetic acid (80:20:1) mobile phase, phosphomolybdic acid detection reagent, and scanning at 610 nm for neutral lipid analysis, and chloroform–methanol–water (65:25:4.5) mobile phase, cupric sulfate–phosphoric acid reagent, and scanning at 370 nm for phospholipids. Significant differences were observed in the triacylglycerol and steryl ester levels in the starved versus the control snails.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomphalaria glabrata
• neutral lipids
• phospholipids
• thin layer chromatography
• TLC
• starvation