Toxicopathological evaluation in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) following repeated oral exposure to acephate

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of exposure at different doses of acephate on hematology, blood biochemistry, oxidative stress and immune system of Wistar rats. The experiment was carried out on 40 Wistar rats, which were divided in four groups. Animals of the three treatment groups were given with different sublethal doses (1/40th, 1/20th, 1/10th of lethal dose 50 value) of acephate by oral gavage. The hematology, blood biochemistry, oxidative stress marker, humoral immune response and cell-mediated immunity were evaluated following acephate exposure. Significant alteration in hematological parameters was not observed following different doses of acephate; however, significant alteration in alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, acetyl cholinesterase, lipid peroxidase and superoxide dismutase was observed in medium- and high-dose group animals. Nonsignificant decrease in antibody titer in animals exposed to high dose has been observed compared with animals of control group. However, significant alteration in cell-mediated immunity was not observed in animals treated with acephate at different doses.

Subacute Toxicity Assessment of Acephate and it’s Amelioration By Picrorhiza kurroa in Female Wistar Rats

“…The experimental rats of all groups did not reveal any apparent behavioural changes, except, hypersensitivity just after Acephate administration, dullness and lethargy in female rats of group II and IV. The signs observed in present study are in close approximation with earlier reports 3,13 .…”

“…The skin of female rats on its histopathology did not showed any histopathological changes. These histopathological findings observed in spleen, brain, intestines, heart, lungs, ovary and adrenal glands in present study goes well with reports of earlier researchers 3,13 who conducted studies on Acephate toxicity. The changes noted in brain and heart probably could have been resulted due to neurotoxic and cardiopathic effects of Acephate toxicity.…”

“…On histopathological examination, liver of toxicated female rats of group II and IV showed minimal to moderate, focal to multifocal congestion, dilatation of sinusoidal spaces, dilatation of central vein, fatty changes mostly characterized by circumscribed vacuolation, cytoplasmic rarefication, MNC infiltration, degenerative changes and necrotic changes in hepatic parenchyma. Similar histopathological lesions in liver of female wistar rats of Acephate toxicated groups have been observed in earlier studies 3,12,13 .…”

“…The kidney sections of female rats of group II and IV revealed mild to moderate congestion, tubular degeneration, vacuolar degeneration, hydropic degeneration, cystic degeneration, haemorrhagic cystic degeneration, coagulative necrotic changes, hyaline/proteinous casts in the lumen of proximal, distal convoluted tubules and focal to multifocal mononuclear cell infiltration. As stated by earlier researchers 3,12,13 and histopathological observations in present study as observed, Acephate could lead to renal injury consequencing nephrotoxicity 23 .…”

“…The decrease in body weight gain in Acephate toxicities could be preliminary attributed to the effect of insecticide on gastrointestinal tract resulting in decreased appetite and absorption of nutrients from gut or might be an indication of direct toxicity or stressogenic activity of insecticide compound 3,9,10 . The reduction in body weight gain also could be attributed to anorectic properties of insecticides 14 .…”