Effect of organophosphorus insecticide on immune system in experimental animals

The immunotoxic effect of repeated sublethal doses of trichlorfon was studiedby using 512 male Lewis mice. They were divided into 4 control groups [n =32] received distilled water and 4 test groups [n = 96] received trichlorfon[an organophosphorous insecticide] in daily oral doses for 15, 30, 45 and 60days, respectively. Each test group was divided into 3 equal subgroupsaccording to trichlorfon dose [30, 60 and 90 mg/kg body weight, respectively]. The degree of immunotoxicity was studied by determining serum immunoglobulinsconcentrations, the percentage of lymphocyte blastogenesis, phagocyticpercentage and index. The phagocytic percentage showed a significantreduction with low dose for 45 and 60 days and for all durations with mediumand high doses. Phagocytic index reduction following the low dose for 30, 45and 60 days was significant and for all durations with medium and high doses

Effect of pretreatment with catapres [clonidine hydrochloride] and avil [pheneramine maleate] on acute dimethoate toxicity in rabbits

Twenty four male rabbits were used in this study, they were about 4 months oldand their weight ranged between 1.1-1.3 kg. They were divided into 4 equalgroups. Animals of the first group served as control, they were given 75mg/kg [1/4 LD50] of dimethoate orally. The other 3 groups receivedsubcutaneous pretreatment with clonidine [0.35 mg/kg], avil [15 mg/kg] andcombined clonidine and avil before giving dimethoate, respectively. Theeffects of pretreatment and dimethoate were assessed by serial measurements ofserum cholinesterase enzyme activity and observation of the physical signs. It was found that clonidine pretreatment has more protective effect againstacute dimethoate toxicity than that of avil. On the other hand, combinedclonidine and avil pretreatment produced more protective effect than occurredby single drug alone