Curcumin Attenuates Hepato-, and Nephrotoxicity Induced by Cypermethrin Through Inhibition of Oxidative Stress in Male Albino Rabbits

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been involved in the toxicity of several pesticides. This study was aimed to induce oxidative stress in rabbit’s liver and kidney by cypermethrin (CYP), a type II pyrethroid pesticide and to evaluate the protective effect of Curcumin (CMN). Numerous plant moieties are identified to exhibit protective potential by neutralizing the oxidative stress. In this study we evaluated the protective role of powdered dried rhizome of curcuma longa L. (CMN) against CYP-induced liver and renal toxicity. For this purpose, all the rabbits were divided in 4 groups, each containing 5 rabbits. The 1st group considered as control while 2nd, 3rd and 4th group were treated with CYP (25mg/kg), CMN (50 mg/kg) alone and CYP (25 mg/kg) in combination with CMN (50 mg/kg), respectively. Biochemical markers were investigated in serum while antioxidant potential and histopathological analysis was performed in liver and kidney tissues. CYP administration resulted in significant reduction of antioxidant protein and enzymes (GSH, GST, catalase, SOD and GPx). Moreover, remarkable variations were observed in biochemical markers (urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin) as well as in histology of kidney and liver in CYP-treated rabbits. The administration of CMN in combination with CYP significantly restored the level of endogenous antioxidants. Furthermore, the normal level of serum biochemical markers was observed with normal histology of liver and kidney in rabbits treated with CMN. Similarly, CMN alleviated the harmful effects of CYP on lipid profiles, hematological parameters and body weight of rabbits.

​Evaluation of Level of Pesticide Residue in Seminal Fluid of Crossbred Bulls

Background: Pesticides act as endocrine disruptors and cause enormous disturbances in steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis and sexual behavioural display. These toxicants modulate and/or disrupt the reproductive and hormonal environment by acting on hypothalamus, pituitary and reproductive organs. Few studies have been carried out to assess the levels of pesticides in dairy cattle / buffaloes. The information on pesticide residues in body fluids especially blood and semen in breeding bulls is lacking. Method: In the light of above background nineteen fresh semen ejaculates were collected from Milkfed, Khanna and PLDB (Punjab Livestock Development Board), Nabha, Punjab and stored at -80◦C. Immediately after collection, the semen was centrifuged at 4500 × g for 20 min at 4◦C. The supernatant (seminal plasma) was stored at -20◦C until processing for the assessment of pesticide residues using gas chromatography (GC). In the present study on crossbred breeding bulls, the semen samples were analyzed for organochlorines, organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroid pesticide residues. Seven OCP were screened namely Heptachlor epoxide, Chlordane, Fipronil, Lindane, Methoxychlor, op-DDT, Endrin. Eleven OPP were screened namely Chorpyrifos, Dichlorovos, Ethion, Monocrotophos, Malathion, Parathion-methyl, Profenphos, Phorate, Triazophos, Quinalphos and Phosalone and four SP’s namely Cypermethrin, Permethrin, Deltamethrin, Cyalothrin were screened in the semen samples. Semen samples were also assessed for viability, HOST (%) and abnormality (%) for both fresh as well as post thaw samples. Result: None of the semen samples were found positive for any of the above pesticide residues. This may be attributed to the feeding of fodder cultivated at the stations without using any pesticides, hence no pesticide residue found in the semen samples of the crossbred breeding bulls of these semen stations In present study, viability (%) of sperms were found to be significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in fresh (75.57 ± 5.31) as compared to post thaw (70.17 ± 4.64) semen of bulls. The abnormality (%) of sperms was found to be significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in fresh (13.61 ± 3.71) than post thaw (18.22 ± 3.59) semen bulls. Also in present study the host (%) was found 67.23±4.76 in fresh semen which decreased to 46.82±3.55 in post thaw semen.

The Dynamic of Insect Population Succession in Bird Poisoned by Pyrethroid Insecticides

Insecticide poisoning is one of the causes of death in wild birds. One of the insecticides that are often used is a pyrethroid. This study aims to determine the succession of insects in birds intoxicated by pyrethroid pesticide. This research was conducted in Dramaga campus, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia. One quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) was used as a control which was killed by manual neck dislocation, and one bird was treated orally treated with acute dose pyrethroid pesticide. Cadavers are placed in insect traps until they reach the skeletal stage of decomposition. Insects that enter the trap are collected every 6 hours for 24 hours, from the first day until the whole process of decomposition of the carrion reaches the skeletal stage. Then the insects are identified and counted. The results showed that the cadaver decomposition process in the treatment group took longer than the control group. In the control group, insects arrived for approximately 138 hours after the cadaver was placed, while the treatment group took approximately 324 hours. The types of insects in these two groups are relatively the same, namely flies (Order Diptera: Calliphoridae, Muscidae), cockroaches (Order Dictyoptera: Blattidae and Blaberidae) and Sarcophagidae), beetles (Order Coleoptera: Scarabidae), ants (Order Hymenoptera: Formicidae), earwigs (Order Dermaptera: Anisolabididae). Chrysomya megachepala was the dominant insect over the others and was always present from the early stages to post-decay in control and pyrethroid treatment.

Exposure to the Widely Used Pyrethroid Pesticide Deltamethrin, Does Not Exacerbate High Fat Diet Induced Obesity or Insulin Resistance in C57BL/6J Mice

Deltamethrin is a commonly used pesticide for the control of mosquito populations. Despite widespread use, the effects of deltamethrin on adiposity and glucose homeostasis have been equivocal with some studies showing increased, decreased and no effect on adiposity and glycemic control. However, no study to date has investigated the effect of deltamethrin in mice housed at thermoneutral temperatures, which is important for modelling metabolic diseases in rodents due to reduced thermal stress and constitutive activation of brown adipose tissue. In the current study we demonstrate for the first time that deltamethrin reduces uncoupling protein-1 expression in brown adipocytes cultured in vitro at concentrations as low as 1pm. Meanwhile, in-vivo deltamethrin does not appear to alter glycemic control or promote adiposity at exposures equivalent to 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg/day. Together, our study demonstrates environmentally relevant exposure to deltamethrin does not exacerbate diet induced obesity or insulin resistance.

Acute Toxicity Bioassay of a Pyrethroid Pesticide Bifenthrin to the Asian stinging Catfish, Heteropneustes Fossilis (Bloch)

Bifenthrin is a type-I synthetic neopyrethroid pesticide having eight different stereoisomers. The current study aims to assess the short-term toxic effect of Bifenthrin to freshwater fish, Heteropneustes fossilis. The 24, 48, 72 and 96h LC50 values of bifenthrin to H. fossilis were 4.82, 4.47, 3.54 and 3.40 µg/l respectively. There was a significant variation (p<0.05) in the mortality of the treated fish exposed to bifenthrin with respect to the control at all the hours of exposure. A significant variation (p<0.05) between rate of mortality of H. fossilis and time slots (24-96h) was recorded for the final selected doses of bifenthrin except 4.0, 4.5 and 5.5 µg/l concentration of the toxicant. A vigorous mucous secretion and hyper-excitability was observed in the fish at the higher doses of bifenthrin specifically at 24h and 48h time slots. There was a profound loss in equilibrium of the treated fish particularly at the higher doses at 72h and 96h time slots. The gradual increase in dose of bifenthrin resulted in significant increase (p<0.05) in opercular movement of the fish with respect to the control. On the other hand, opercular movement showed a significant increase (p<0.05) with the advancement of time for all the treated doses. Therefore, bifenthrin is indicated to be very strongly toxic to fish.