A Common Insecticide Induced-Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats: Significance for Humans and Implications for Nutritional Modulation of Insecticide Toxicity

Objective This study examined the levels of selected micronutrients and associated biochemical changes in rats exposed to Baygon (R) insecticide. Arsenic is a toxic metalloid commonly used in insecticides manufacture but unheralded. Methods Fifteen rats, divided into three equal groups: Group I (control); group II (administered 2.5 mg/kg sodium arsenite (SA) on alternate days for four weeks); group III (exposed to 14.0 mL Baygon(R)m(-3)cage volume daily for four weeks). Serum levels of arsenic (As), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). Reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and total protein (TP) were determined spectrophotometrically. Results Arsenic and Se levels were significantly raised in groups II and III compared with control (p < 0.05), unlike Zn levels that were significantly decreased in groups II and III (p < 0.05) in both. No significant change in the activity of GPx; though the activity increased in the group treated with SA, but decreased in the group treated with Baygon(R)compared to control (P < 0.05). Histology of the liver and lung was unaltered in control, but in contrast, the SA-treated group demonstrated moderate fibrous hyperplasia with prominent highly infiltrated portal area in the liver; while the lung revealed thickened alveolar walls from proliferated pneumocytes. In the Baygon(R)-treated group, there was mild hyperplasia of the fibrous connective tissue and congested prominent portal areas; while the lung exhibited severe thickened alveolar walls due to proliferated pneumocytes. Conclusion Exposure of rats to Baygon(R)elicited alteration of key trace elements involved in the antioxidant system, culminating in oxidative stress with attendant deleterious effects. One significance of this for humans is that it has great potentials for possible nutritional modulation of insecticide toxicity with micronutrients, especially with zinc, holding great promise in tropical developing countries.

Automated summary

The study found that exposure to Baygon(R) led to significantly increased levels of arsenic and selenium, while zinc levels decreased significantly in rats. Histologically, rats treated with SA showed moderate fibrous hyperplasia in the liver and thickened alveolar walls in the lung; while those treated with Baygon(R) exhibited mild hyperplasia of fibrous connective tissue and severe thickening of alveolar walls in the lung.