Soares_2025_Arch.Insect.Biochem.Physiol_120_e70101

Amazonian fruits, such as Caryocar villosum, are rich in phenolic compounds known to influence oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, suggesting a potential role in preventing age-related diseases. This study aimed to analyze the effect of a diet supplemented with C. villosum on behavioral and biochemical parameters in Drosophila melanogaster. D. melanogaster were fed a diet with C. villosum at different concentrations from the larval stage until the fifteenth day of adulthood. A diet supplemented with 0.075 mg/mL of C. villosum increased mortality (p < 0.01) and climbing ability (p < 0.0001) after 10 days of feeding. However, larvae fed with 0.005-0.0125 mg/mL of C. villosum showed no toxic effects. Biochemical analyses revealed that ingesting 0.01 mg/mL of C. villosum increased activities of acetylcholinesterase (p < 0.01) and citrate synthase (p < 0.001) in head tissues. Notably, lactate levels were also elevated (p < 0.01) in the heads of flies fed with 0.0125 mg/mL, suggesting metabolic modulation. These results suggest that C. villosum supplementation for 15 days enhances neural health in D. melanogaster, an alternative animal model for nutrition research, through the consumption of Amazonian fruit as C. villosum.