RESUMO
Imidacloprid is an insecticide belongs to the new active group nitroguandine which has outstanding potency and systemic action for crop protection against pests. It is one of the insecticides that causes oxidative stress in cells leading to glutathione deficiency. The present study aimed to investigate the possible protective role of glutathione 0.55mg/ kg body weight against the toxic effect of 1/50 LD50 of imidacloprid insecticide in male Japanese quails [Coturnix coturnix japonica]. Sixty male quails were divided into 4 groups, the first one served as a control, the second received glutathione only, the third group was treated with imidacloprid and the fourth was administrated both glutathione and imidacloprid conjointly. Birds were treated orally for either three or six weeks followed a recovery period for 3 weeks. The data obtained revealed a marked increase in serum AST, ALT, ALP, glucose, total lipids, total cholesterol and createnine of quails treated with imidacloprid only, whereas variable levels of amelioration were detected in treated groups with glutathione plus imidacloprid, especially in levels of glucose, AST activity and createnine after 6 weeks of treatment. On the other hand, a highly significant decrease in total proteins, albumin and globulin were found in the birds treated with imidacloprid alone, but these returned to levels close to normal in the quails treated with glutathione plus imidacloprid. Albumin/ globulin ratio and uric acid level were not significantly changed in all groups. In general, there was appreciable improvement after the recovery period