The Tunisian Artemisia Essential Oil for Reducing Contamination of Stored Cereals by Tribolium castaneum.

Essential oils of three species of Artemisia genus (A. absinthium L., A. campestris L. and A. herba-alba (Asso)) were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and their potential insecticidal and repellent activities against the stored grain insect Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) was investigated. Fumigant and repellent activity bioassays were investigated in vitro. Chemical characterisation of essential oils showed that the bicyclic monoterpenes were predominant in all Artemisia essential oils, A. absinthium essential oil having the highest content of bicyclic monoterpenes, bicycloheptanes, naphthalenes and cycloalkenes. A. campestris had the highest content of sesquiterpenoids and acyclic monoterpenoids. A. herba-alba was characterised by the highest amounts of menthane monoterpenoids, oxanes, cumenes, oxolanes, ketones, benzenoids and monocyclic monoterpenes. Fumigant bioassay demonstrated that the three types of oil applied separately caused significant insect mortality. The lowest median lethal dose, LC50=142.8 µL/L, was observed with A. herba-alba. In repellency test, essential oil of A. absinthium was more potent with more rapid action than all other species. The mixture of Artemisia sp. essential oils showed an antagonistic effect in all the tested combinations. This study highlighted an important potential of Artemisia sp. especially A. herba-alba and A. absinthium in the control of the pests of stored products.

Alteration of lipid status and lipid metabolism, induction of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation by 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic herbicide in rat liver.

This study aims to investigate the effects of the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic herbicide (2,4-D) on plasma lipids, lipoproteins concentrations, hepatic lipid peroxidation, fatty acid composition and antioxidant enzyme activities in rats. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of 10 each: control group and three 2,4-D-treated groups G1, G2 and G3 were administered 15, 75 and 150 mg/kg/BW/d 2,4-D by gavage for 28 d, respectively. Results showed that 2,4-D caused significant negative changes in the biochemical parameters investigated. The malondialdehyde level was significantly increased in 2,4-D-treated groups. Fatty acid composition of the liver was also significantly changed with 2,4-D exposure. Furthermore, the hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly affected. Finally, 2,4-D at the studied doses modifies lipidic status, disrupt lipid metabolism and induce hepatic oxidative stress. In conclusion, at higher doses, 2,4-D may play an important role in the development of vascular disease via metabolic disorder of lipoproteins, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.

Biochemical and histological evaluation of kidney damage after sub-acute exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic herbicide in rats: involvement of oxidative stress.

The present study evaluated the effects of sub-acute exposure to different doses of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on rat kidney. Forty animals were divided into four equal groups and treated with different doses of 2,4-D: 0, 15, 75 and 150 mg/kg body weight per day via oral gavage for 28 consecutive days. Renal function, histopathology, tissue malondialdehyde and antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated. The results showed a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in uric acid level and an increase in plasma levels of urea and creatinine (p < 0.01) in rats administered 2,4-D at the three studied doses. The activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase were significantly affected for all treated rats, while glutathione peroxidase significantly decreased in rats exposed to 2,4-D at a dose of 150 mg/kg. Through sub-acute treatment, starting from the low to the high doses of 2,4-D, there were significant increase in kidney MDA as compared to controls. The histopathological study revealed tubular damages, glomerular alterations, vascular congestion and increased number of pyknotic nuclei in kidneys of all 2,4-D treated groups. The severity of these alterations increase in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings confirm that sub-acute exposure to 2,4-D induced oxidative renal dysfunction in rats. Therefore, at higher doses, 2,4-D may be implicated in the pathogenesis of kidney failure via lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.

Hypolipidimic and antioxidant activities of virgin olive oil and its fractions in 2,4-diclorophenoxyacetic acid-treated rats.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and its hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions on serum lipids, oxidative stress, and morphologic and functional liver damages induced by 2,4-diclorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into eight groups: control; 2,4-D at a dose of 5 mg/kg of body weight (2,4-D); 2,4-D plus EVOO (2,4-D/EVOO); 2,4-D plus the hydrophilic fraction (2,4-D/OOHF); 2,4-D plus the lipophilic fraction (2,4-D/OOLF); only EVOO (EVOO); only the hydrophilic fraction (OOHF); and only the lipophilic fraction (OOLF). These components were administered daily by gavage for 4 wk. RESULTS: A hepatic architecture aberration, increased activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase enzymes, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and a decreased antioxidant defense system were observed in the 2,4-D group. The administration of EVOO restored the damage caused by 2,4-D by a significant decrease of plasma total and low-density lipoprotein levels and a moderate increase of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The 2,4-D/OOHF group exhibited a pronounced enhancement of the antioxidant defense system by an increase of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase levels and a decrease of plasma and liver MDA levels. However, less improvement in the liver histoarchitecture and antioxidant status was observed in rats supplemented with OOLF diet, despite its richness in α-tocopherol. CONCLUSION: Extra virgin olive oil may be a potential functional food source of antioxidants than can decrease the frequency of cardiovascular diseases and liver damage.

Effects of olive oil and its fractions on oxidative stress and the liver's fatty acid composition in 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-treated rats.

BACKGROUND: Olive oil's beneficial effects are not only related to its high content of oleic acid, but also to the antioxidant potential of its polyphenols. In this study, we assess the effects of virgin olive oil and its fractions on 2,4-D- induced oxidative damage in the liver of rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups of ten each: (C) a control group, (D) group that received 2,4-D (5 mg/kg b.w.), (D/EVOO) group treated with 2,4-D plus extra virgin olive oil, (D/OOHF) group that received 2,4-D plus hydrophilic fraction, (D/OOLF) group treated with 2,4-D plus lipophilic fraction, (EVOO) group that received only extra virgin olive oil, (OOHF) group given hydrophilic fraction and (OOLF) group treated with lipophilic fraction. These components were daily administered by gavage for 4 weeks. RESULTS: A significant liver damage was observed in rats treated with 2,4-D via increased serum levels of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase, hepatic lipid peroxidation and decreased hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities, namely, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. The liver's fatty acid composition was also significantly modified with 2,4-D exposure. However, extra virgin olive oil and hydrophilic fraction intake during 2,4-D treatment induced a significant increase in the antioxidant enzyme activities and a decrease in the conjugated dienes (CD) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARs) levels in the liver. The lipophilic fraction supplemented to 2,4-D- treated rats did not show any improvement in the liver oxidative status while a marked improvement was detected in the hepatic fatty acid composition of rats supplemented with olive oil and the two fractions. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the protective effect of olive oil against oxidative damage induced by 2,4-D is mainly related to the antioxidant potential of its hydrophilic fraction.

Dietary olive oil effect on antioxidant status and fatty acid profile in the erythrocyte of 2,4-D- exposed rats.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress produced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been linked to the development of several diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigates the possible protective effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), lipophilic fraction (OOLF) and hydrophilic fraction (OOHF) on oxidative stress and fatty acid profile of erythrocytes in 2,4-D treated rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into eight groups: control (C), (2,4-D) at a dose of 5 mg/kg b.w., (2,4-D/EVOO) was given 2,4-D plus EVOO, (2,4-D/OOHF) that received 2,4-D plus hydrophilic fraction, (2,4-D/OOLF) treated with 2,4-D plus lipophilic fraction, (EVOO) that received only EVOO, (OOHF) was given hydrophilic fraction and (OOLF) treated with lipophilic fraction. These components were daily administered by gavages for 4 weeks. RESULTS: 2,4-D treatment lead to decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities, namely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) associated with a higher amount of MDA level. Erythrocyte membranes' fatty acid composition was also significantly modified with 2,4-D exposure. EVOO and hydrophilic fraction supplemented to rats with or not 2,4-D treatment enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced the MDA level. However, lipophilic fraction did not show any improvement in oxidative damage induced by 2,4-D in spite its richness in MUFA and vitamins. CONCLUSION: EVOO administered to 2,4-D-treated rats protected erythrocyte membranes against oxidative damage by means of preventing excessive lipid peroxidation to increase the MUFA composition and increase maintaining antioxidants enzymes at normal concentrations.

Hepatotoxicity induced by sub-acute exposure of rats to 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid based herbicide "Désormone lourd".

"Désormone Lourd" is a 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic based herbicide that includes 600 g/L 2,4-D. In this study we analyzed the toxic effects of 2,4-D on rat liver. Animals were daily treated with 15, 75 and 150 mg/kg, via oral gavage during 4 weeks. Hepatotoxicity was monitored by quantitative analysis of the serum enzymes markers of hepatotoxicity. Oxidative stress markers, catalase and glutathione reductase (CAT and GR), were analyzed in liver. We also investigated liver tissues histopathologically. Our results revealed that, when rats of 2,4-D treated groups were compared with the control group, the body weight decreased and the liver weight increased significantly at the end of the 4th week. The microscopic evaluation showed that 2,4-D induced hepatic cord disruption, focal necrosis, vessel dilation and pycnotic nucleus. Histological effects were found in all treated groups and their severity was dose dependent. Through sub-acute treatment, starting from the low to the high doses of 2,4-D, it was observed that there were effects on the activity of the serum enzyme markers, on TSP, Alb and the glycemia levels. We also observed a significant reduction in the hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities. To conclude, we can suggest that 2,4-D induces hepatoxicity and cellular alterations in rat.