Exposure to difenoconazole, diclofop-methyl alone and combination alters oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in albino rats

Sherif H Abd-Alrahman; Manal Ea Elhalwagy; Gamila Ahmed Kotb; Hoda Farid; Ahmed Ag Farag; Hossam M Draz; Ahmed M Isa; S Sabico

Exposure to difenoconazole, diclofop-methyl alone and combination alters oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in albino rats

Int J Clin Exp Med. 2014 Oct 15;7(10):3637-46. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Sherif H Abd-Alrahman¹, Manal Ea Elhalwagy², Gamila Ahmed Kotb³, Hoda Farid⁴, Ahmed Ag Farag⁵, Hossam M Draz⁶, Ahmed M Isa⁷, S Sabico⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pesticides Residues and Environmental Pollution, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center Giza 12618, Egypt ; Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University P.O Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science for Girls, King Abdulaziz University P.O Box 51459, Jeddah 21453, KSA ; Department of Mammalian Toxicology, Pesticide Central Laboratory, Agriculture Research Center Giza 12618, Egypt.
³ Department of Mammalian Toxicology, Pesticide Central Laboratory, Agriculture Research Center Giza 12618, Egypt.
⁴ Faculty of Agriculture, Menofia University Egypt.
⁵ Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University Egypt.
⁶ Department of Biochemistry, National Research Centre Dokki, Cairo 12311, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Obstitrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, King Saud University Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University P.O Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

PMID: 25419412
PMCID: PMC4238557

Abstract

The herbicides diclofop-methyl and the fungicide difenoconazole are widely used in agriculture and may lead to serious toxicity risks. However, limited studies have been done to evaluate differences in the metabolic effects of these herbicides. Difenoconazole (10 mg/kg) and Diclofop-methyl (1 mg/kg) were orally administrated individually (Groups 1 and 2 respectively) as well as combined (G3) to rats for 28 days. In all treated groups, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and urea were significantly higher than the control group. Plasma creatinine was also significantly higher in groups G1 and G2 than control. Significant inhibition in gamma glutamyltransferase (γGT) was observed in all treated groups, in addition to significant inhibition of plasma acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) in G3 (p < 0.01). There was no effect in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and albumin. Total plasma triiodothy-ronine (T3) hormone was significantly higher in groups G2 and G3 (p < 0.01), but significantly lower in G1 group as compared to control. Thyroxin (T4) was significantly lower in all treated groups than control. Cholesterol level was significantly lower in G3 than control, and a total protein (TP) was significantly higher in all treated groups than control. No differences were observed in glucose levels. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), an oxidative stress biomarker, was significantly increased in all treated groups comparing to control. Sulphur containing protein (SH-protein) was significantly lower in G1 than control. No significant changes were observed for GST in all treatments. The significant differences in measured biomarkers after application of diclofop-methyl, difenoconazole individually and combined indicate that the investigated pesticides may have potentially harmful effects on humans and the surrounding environment. We suggest that larger studies be conducted to better understand the toxicity mechanisms of these pesticides.

Keywords: Oxidative stress; acetylcholinesterase; biomarkers; diclofop-methyl; difenoconazole; stress markers.