Evaluation of DNA damage in vivo by comet assay and chromosomal aberrations for pyrethroid insecticide and the antimutagenic role of curcumin

Background: Esfenvelerate a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, is widely used in the home environment and in agriculture because of its high activity against a broad spectrum of insect pests and its low animal toxicity

Objective of this study was to evaluate the genotoxicity of esfenvelerate and the possible protective role of curcumin against this genotoxicity

Material and methods: Forty male albino rats were divided into 8 groups of 5 rats each: G1 served as control and G2 served as positive control received [100mg/kg curcumin], G3,G4 and G5 were orally administrated with [1/20 LD50, 1/40 LD50 and 1/60 LD50 of esfenvelerate] respectively and the last three groups[G6,G7and G8] were received the same doses of pesticide plus 100mg /kg curcumin for 28 days daily. Animals were sacrificed and bone marrow samples were collected for chromosomal aberration assay test and liver samples were used for DNA damage detection by comet assay

Results: chromosome aberration assay revealed that all the tested doses induced chromosomal aberrations [CA] such as centromeric gaps, chromatid gaps, chromatid deletion, dicentric chromosome, and ring chromosome. The alkaline comet assay showed significantly increased tail moment, tail length and tailed DNA % in liver cells of animals treated with esfenvelerate alone compared to control group. On the other hand, oral curcumin significantly ameliorated the genotoxicity induced by esfenvelrat. All these results clarified the efficacy of curcumin in amelioration of chromosomal aberrations of structures as well as DNA damage which may result from its antioxidant properties

Protective effects of curcumin for oxidative stress and histological alterations induced by pyrethroid insecticide in Albino rats

Esfenvalerate[esfen] is a type II of synthetic pyrethroid that has replaced other groups of insecticides due to its improved insecticidal potency. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicity of pyrethroid insecticides on liver tissues of rats and the possible role of antioxidant plant [curcumin] as a protective agent against oxidative stress and histological alterations. Forty male albino rats were divided into 8 groups of 5 rats /each: G1: served as control and G2: served as positive control received [100mg/kg curcumin], G3,G4 and G5 had oral administration [1/20 LD50, 1/40 LD50 and 1/60 LD50 of esfenvelerate] respectively and the last three groups[G6,G7and G8] were received the same doses of pesticide plus 100mg /kg curcumin for 28 days daily. Exposure of rats to [esfen] induced significant increase in the levels of MDA and significant decrease in total protein, GSH ,SOD and catalase whilst the insecticides doses plus curcumin showed decrease in MDA for high and medium dose and ameliorated the reduction of total protein concentration in low dose. We showed that curcumin acts as an effective antioxidant for esfen pesticide toxicity by reducing oxidative stress burden and histological damage

Biochemical and genotoxic effects of prothiofos in rats

Organophosphate pesticides continue to pose a risk to animal and human health. By using stomach tube, orally three dose levels of the organophosphate insecticide prothiofos were used for 28 days. Other groups of rats were exposed to the same three dose level for 28 days and then recovery from pesticide for 14 days [i.e. withdrawal time of 14 days]. These three dose levels include high dose level [1/20 of LD[50]], the medium level [1/40 of LD[50]] and the low level [1/60 of 11]50]. Blood samples for studying the biochemical changes were taken from rat eye cansus at 7, 14 and 28 days. At the end of experimental course, the animals were sacrificed for studying the pathological and cytogenetic changes after the exposure and recovery from pesticide. Results revealed significant elevation in serum AST and ALT activities at the different intervals and doses. This elevation was marked at using the dose levels of 1/20 and 1/40 of LD[50]. Activity of Ach E was inhibited with different doses and intervals. Significant reduction in albumin level was noticed with the dose level of 1/20 and 1/40 of LD[50] but slight reduction was observed with dose level 1/60 of LD[50]. Significant elevation in creatinine level was achieved at dose levels of 1/20 and 1/40 of LU50] but slight elevation was observed with dose level of 1/60 of LD[50]. Hepatic tissues of rats exposed to high and medium dose levels showed different degenerative and fatty changes. Also, kidneys of treated groups showed sever congestion in the stronial blood vessels with perivascular oedenia. Bone marrow cells of treated rats revealed that, prothiofos induced highly significant increase in the number of chromosomal aberration at the three dose levels. The most frequent aberrations were chromatid gap followed by break, deletion and ring. A centric fragment and fragment were the lowest types of aberrant cell scored. Numerical aberration which showed as polyploidy was scored in all dose levels of treatment. Recovery leads to improvement of the physiological condition of the exposed rats. The adverse effects of pesticide exposure were subsiding with the medium and low doses levels. Also, recovery did not achieve improvement of genotoxic effect at the all doses levels

Toxicological effects of fenitrothion and vitamin E as antioxidant agent on the biochemical, cytogenetic and histopathological parameters of white rats

The use of pesticides has been increased considerably nowadays compared to the past. The hazards of using such chemical compounds have been accentuated by the sharp rise of their use in agriculture, industry, by householders and governments. Exposure to organophosphorus insecticides [OPI] in agriculture is one of the occupational hazards. Fenitrothion is one of the most important OPI. The major object of the present study was to evaluated the toxicological [biochemical, mutagenic and histopathological] effects of tested insecticide [fenitrothion] alone or combined to vitamin E as an antioxidant agent to decrease their toxic effect. male albino rats were tested orally for 30 days, three doses of fenitrothion were used in absence and presence of vitamin E [1/20, 1/40 and 1/80 LD50]. the obtained data showed marked changes in biochemical parameter, highly inhibition of AchE activity; highly significant increase in the frequency of micronucleus [PCEM] in rat bone marrow cells at all doses of fenitrothion alone or combined to vitamin compared to control group. Also, the histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues revealed high alternation in these tissues corresponding to biochemical changes. From these results we concluded that fenitrothion exert biochemical, mutagenic and histopathological effects in white rats. In addition, vitamin E has mild role in alleviating these toxicological effects

Studies of the genotoxic and histopathological effects of the organophosphorous insecticide 'profenofos' on white rats

Genotoxic effects of agricultural chemicals are of special concern because of their generally irreversible effects and the long latency associated with their manifestation. These effects include heritable genetic diseases, carcinogenesis, reproductive dysfunction and birth defects. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of the organophosphorous insecticide "profenofos" on white albino rats. The rats were treated for 28 days with three different doses of profenofos [1/20 LD50, 1/40 LD50, and 1/80 LD50]. Then the animals were left without treatments for 14 days for possible recovery. The genotoxic effect of the pesticide was evaluated by using the micronucleus assay in the bone marrow and polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase [GST] by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. The results demonstrated that the treatment with profenofos caused a significant increase in the frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. Results of polymorphism of both GSTM1 and GSTT1 showed positive genotype in the control group. While the results of GSTT1 polymorphism in the treated rats showed positive genotype in all doses of profenofos. The GSTM1 polymorphism showed positive genotype in the high and medium doses [1/20 LD50 and 1/40 LD50] but not in the low dose [1/80 LD50], where the GSTM1 was null [negative] genotype. After the recovery period the polymorphism of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was found to be positive genotype, except with the low dose [1/80 LD50] showed null genotype for GSTM1 gene. The histopathological data showed that profenofos exhibited histopathological changes in liver, kidney, spleen and tests. Liver showed hepatic cell damage with degenerative changes. The kidney showed heamorrhages, edema, necrosis and glomeruli shrinkage. The spleen showed slight deplesion of the lymphocytes of the white pulp. The tests showed interstitial edema and severe necrosis of spermatogenesis. From these results we concluded that the profenofos exert genotoxic and histopathological effects on albino white rats