Abstract: After UV irradiation treatment, two Drosophila strains, Xinong 12 and Drosophila Zhongnong e, were cultured in a medium supplemented with melanin derived from apricot kernel skin (AS-M). Fecundity, lifetime, SOD activity, MDA content, protein concentration, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were measured to evaluate the anti-UV irradiation effect of AS-M. Compared with control group, UV irradiation substantially reduced fecundity, lifetime and T-AOC in both Drosophila strains, protein concentration and SOD activity tended to first increase and then decrease, and MDA content markedly increased. AS-M addition at concentrations varying from 0.02 to 0.2 mg/mL could distinctly improve the fecundity of the two Drosophila strains compared with 2 min UV irradiation group. The difference between 0.02 mg/mL and 0.2 mg/mL treatment groups did not reach a significant level. Compared with 5 min UV irradiation group, AS-M addition resulted in a significant increase in lifetime, protein concentration, T-AOC, SOD activity and a reduction in MDA content. These results demonstrated that AS-M has anti-UV irradiation effect in Drosophila.

Key words: apricot kernel, melanin, Drosophila, ultraviolet irradiation