Some toxicological interaction studies of aflatoxin [produced in groundnuts] and some insecticides

The present work is an investigation of the relationship between chronic toxicity of aflatoxin [B1 and G1] and the insecticide methomyl [lannate] to albino rats, by studying certain biochemical and pathological effects on rats chronically fed with aflatoxins or methomyl as well as the combination of both to perform some kind of comparative study. The biochemical parameters included the determination of GPT, GOT, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase and total protein. Histopathology of liver and kidney were also performed. Media extract contained 30 or 90 ug/100 gm gm body weight of each aflatoxin [B1 and G1] and methomyl in a dose equivalent to 1/10 LD[50] [0.17mg/100 b.w] were fed to groups of adult male rats as oral daily doses for 60 days. Also the combination of the aflatoxins [Bl and G1] and methomyl were fed to other groups of rats by the same regimen. The microscopical study of the liver treated with aflatoxin alone or in combination with methomyl revealed hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis with some mitotic activity. Inflammatory cells and intact blood vessels were also seen. The kidneys of these animals showed glomerular and tubular changes. Similar histopathological changes were obtained after methomyl treatment, The biochemical results of the different treated groups revealed a reduction in the serum total protein and an increase in serum creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, GPT and GOP. Methomyl produced no change in the levels of total protein and alkaline phosphatase