Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Potently Affect Cardiovascular System in Mammals: Review of the Literature

Abstract

In glyphosate (G)-based herbicides (GBHs), the declared active principle G is mixed with several adjuvants that help it to penetrate the plants' cell membranes and its stabilization and liposolubility. Its utilization is growing with genetically modified organisms engineered to tolerate GBH. Millions of farmers suffer poisoning and death in developing countries, and occupational exposures and suicide make GBH toxicity a worldwide concern. As GBH is found in human plasma, widespread hospital facilities for measuring it should be encouraged. Plasma determination is an essential prerequisite for risk assessment in GBH intoxication. Only when standard ECGs were performed, at least one abnormal ECG was detected in the large majority of cases after intoxication. QTc prolongation and arrhythmias along with first-degree atrioventricular block were observed after GBH intoxication. Thus, life-threatening arrhythmias might be the cause of death in GBH intoxication. Cardiac cellular effects of GBH were reviewed along with few case reports in men and scanty larger studies. We observed in two mammalian species (rats and rabbits) direct cardiac electrophysiological changes, conduction blocks and arrhythmias among GBH-mediated effects. Plasmatic (and urine) level determinations of G and electrocardiographic Holter monitoring seem warranted to ascertain whether cardiovascular risk among agro-alimentary workers might be defined.

Activation of the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor is involved in glyphosate‐induced renal proximal tubule cell apoptosis

“…Although glyphosate has low oral acute mammalian toxicity, a considerable number of animal and epidemiological studies have demonstrated the toxicity of commercial glyphosate products (Cattani et al, ; Gress et al, ; Milesi et al, ; Tang et al, ; Wunnapuk et al, ). The kidney may be the main target of glyphosate‐based herbicides.…”

“…Glyphosate‐based herbicides may have neurotoxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, hepatotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and nephrotoxicity (Cattani et al, ; Gress, Lemoine, Seralini, & Puddu, ; Milesi et al, ; Tang, Hu, Li, Win‐Shwe, & Li, ; Wunnapuk et al, ); however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. There are some epidemiological studies suggesting a potential relationship between glyphosate‐based herbicides (together with other factors) and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) (Jayasumana, Gunatilake, & Senanayake, ; Jayasumana et al, ; Peraza et al, ).…”

Re-registration Challenges of Glyphosate in the European Union

“…In addition, glyphosate has been potentially correlated with disruption of glycine homeostasis (Pérez-Torres et al, 2017) and pathological conditions e.g., autism (Nevison, 2014), fatal chronic kidney disease (in regions with heavy metal contamination in water) (Jayasumana et al, 2014(Jayasumana et al, , 2015, bronchial inflammation (Kumar et al, 2014), cardiovascular diseases (Gress et al, 2015), and cancer (Paumgartten, 2017). Dermatology problems upon skin contact with glyphosate-based herbicides have also been reported (Amerio et al, 2004;Heras-Mendaza et al, 2008;de Ávila et al, 2017;Elsner et al, 2018).…”

Human Health Risks of the Use of Glyphosate and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides: Review

“…42 Maruziyet artışı ve yüksek plazma glifosat konsantrasyonları (>734 mg/mL) ile ölüm görülme sık-lığı arasında ilişki olduğu bulunmuştur. 43 …”