The effects of sub-chronic exposure of Wistar rats to the herbicide Glyphosate-Biocarb®

The object of this study was to analyze the hepatic effects of the herbicide Glyphosate-Biocarbo (as commercialized in Brazil) in Wistar rats. Animals were treated orally with water or 4.87, 48.7, or 487 mg/kg of glyphosate each 2 days, during 75 days. Sub-chronic treatment of animals starting from the lowest dose of glyphosate induced the leakage of hepatic intracellular enzymes. alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), suggesting irreversible damage in hepatocytes. We observed the increase of Kupffer cells in hepatic sinusoid of glyphosate-treated animals. This was followed by large deposition of reticulin fibers, composed mainly of collagen type III. We may conclude that Glyphosate-Biocarbo may induce hepatic histological changes as well as AST and ALT leaking from liver to serum in experimental models. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.