Imidacloprid (IMD), 1(6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl)-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine, was administered in female mice to study in vivo cytogenetic (chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronucleus assay) and hematological effects. The acute oral LD50 was determined to be 150 mg/kg bw in mice following OECD guidelines using AOT StatPgm425 software. The mice were administered orally with distilled water (negative control); mitomycin C (MMC), 1 mg/kg (positive control) and sub-lethal doses of 37.5 (low), 75.0 (medium) and 112.5 (high) mg/kg bw (25%, 50% and 75% of LD50) of IMD to analyze CAs and hematological effects after 24 h, whereas micronucleus test (MT) after 48 h. The genotoxicity analysis revealed that selected test doses of IMD--medium and high doses--induced significantly mitotic inhibition (p < 0.01), CAs (p < 0.01) and at high dose micronucleus (MN) formation (p < 0.05). Significant changes in red blood cell (RBC; p < 0.01), hemoglobin (Hb; p < 0.01) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; p < 0.001) were observed, except WBC in which significant increase (p < 0.001) was observed. Present observation substantiates overall significant dose dependent genotoxic potential (p < 0.05; r = 0.98) of IMD. Precautions should be taken to minimize possible risk to exposed farmers of the state of Haryana (India)--an agrarian economy.
Keywords: Bone marrow cells; chromosomal aberrations; genotoxicity; imidacloprid; micronuclei; mitomycin C.