Evaluation of the Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine on Subacute Chlorpyrifos Poisoning in Wistar Rats
Evaluation of the Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine on Subacute Chlorpyrifos Poisoning in Wistar Rats.
ABSTRACT
Chlorpyrifos (CPF) toxicity has been shown to be partly mediated via induction of oxidative stress. In the present study, studies were conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of subacute CPF exposure on haematological and biochemical changes and the ameliorating effects of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) and vitamin C (VC) in Wistar rats.
Fifty- six adult male Wistar rats divided into 8 groups of 7 animals each were used for this study. Rats in group I (Soya oil group) received soya oil (2 ml/kg). Rats in groups II (VC) and III (ALC) were administered with vitamin C (100 mg/kg), and ALC (300 mg/kg), while the rats in group IV (VC+ALC) received the combination of VC and ALC at 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg.
Rats in group V (CPF) received CPF only (8.5 mg/kg ~ 1/10th of the LD50). Rats in groups VI (VC + CPF) and VII (ALC + CPF) were pretreated with VC (100 mg/kg) and ALC (300 mg/kg), respectively and then exposed to CPF (8.5 mg/kg), 30 minutes later.
Rats in group VIII (VC+ALC+CPF) were pretreated with VC (100 mg/kg), ALC (300 mg/kg) and then exposed to CPF (8.5 mg/kg), 30 minutes later. The regimens were administered orally by gavage once daily for a period of 28 days.During this period, the rats were observed for signs of toxicity and death. At the end of the dosing period, the rats were sacrificed.
INTRODUCTION
Pesticides are ubiquitous with significant economic, environmental and public health impacts. Their usage has resulted in significant improvement in human and animal nutrition through greater availability, longer storage life, and lower costs of food (Weiss et al., 2004).
Pesticide poisoning remains a serious public health problem world-wide. According to the World Health Organization, 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning occur every year, resulting in more than 250,000 deaths (Yang and Deng, 2007; Chheteri et al., 2008).
Among the insecticides, organophosphates (ops) remain the most widely used, accounting for 50% of all insecticide applications world-wide (Casida and Quistad, 2004; Fishel, 2005). OP poisoning is a progressively worrying phenomenon as worldwide pesticide production and consumption have doubled since the last three decades (Ali and Chia, 2008).
Chlorpyrifos (CPF) (0,0 –diethyl-0-{3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl) phosphorothionate) is a broad spectrum, chlorinated OP insecticide that was first registered in 1965 to control foliage and soil- borne insect pests on a variety of food and feed crops (Odenkirchen and Eisler, 1988; Smegal, 2000; Mitra et al., 2008; Aly et al., 2010).
The most common trade names of CPF are; Dursban®, Empire 20®, Termicot®, Whitemire PT 270® and Lorsban® (Smegal, 2000; Timchalk et al., 2002). CPF is a widely used OP pesticide with relatively low acute toxicity compared to other insecticides in the same class (Zheng et al., 2000).
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CSN Team.
