Gallus gallus domesticus (Galliformes: Phasianidae) as a biological model for biosafety analysis of the hexane fraction of the fruits and seeds of Ricinus communis L. (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaciae)

Brazil became the largest consumer of pesticides in the world in 2021. These products, although necessary, can cause significant damage to non-target organisms and agroecosystems. From this perspective, the search for new, safer products gains prominence every year. It is essential to understand how non-target organisms react to contact with these novel products to verify their safety. Therefore, vertebrate models, such as the embryo of Gallus gallus domesticus L., 1758 (Galliformes: Phasianidae), an organism from which the results can be extrapolated to other vertebrates, are important to guarantee the selectivity and safety of new products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the hexane fraction of fruits and seeds of Ricinus communis (HFFSRc) on Gallus gallus domesticus (the domestic chicken). This fraction has been studied as a potential insecticide for agricultural use. Three concentrations of HFFSRc were evaluated, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%, in addition to two control treatments, one with distilled water and one with Tween 80® (0.01%). The effect of HFFSRc on G. gallus domesticus embryos was analyzed through two different forms of exposure: i) injection of treatments into the egg’s air chamber and ii) spraying of treatments on the egg. After three days of incubation, the eggs of G. gallus domesticus were collected for morphological analysis using the total mount technique. It was observed that their exposure to HFFSRc, regardless of the concentration or form of exposure used, reduced the survival probability of G. gallus domesticus embryos. HFFSRc was found to be toxic to G. gallus domesticus embryos when sprayed on the eggshell, reducing their survival probability. HFFSRc was also toxic when injected into the air chamber, in addition to causing body malformations in G. gallus domesticus embryos.