IN VIVO ACUTE EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON CLINICAL BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETER

One hundred thirty-two young adult male Sprague Dawley rats, averaging 60.7g initial body weight, were used in twenty-two feeding experiments to evaluate the acute effects of copper oxychloride, copper sulphate and dithane during a period of 15 and 30 days intervals. In Exp. 1, 12 rats were treated with purified basal diet (control) for consecutive 30 days, while in Exp. 2 and 3, 72 rats were randomly assigned to 12 treatments (for consecutive 30 days) supplemented with copper oxychloride (5 and 10 ppm); copper sulphate (5 and 10 ppm) and dithane (5 and 10 ppm). Whilst in Exp. 4 and 5, 48 rats were assigned to 8 treatments with copper oxychloride and dithane (2.5 + 2.5 ppm); copper sulphate and dithane (2.5 + 2.5 ppm); copper oxychloride and dithane (5+5 ppm) and copper sulphate and dithane (5+5 ppm) for consecutive 30 days. The result revealed that, the patterns on feed consumption were less clear than the growth data. All organs weight were increased in diets incorporated with dithane (except copper sulphate and dithane at 10 ppm diet) than did the corresponding rats served as control and other treatments . Also there were a significant decrease on IgA, IgG, IgM and IgD concentration after 30 days.  A significant elevations on the activities of ASAT (GOT) and ALAT (GPT), P<0.01, during the second 15 days in all experimental fat groups, except rats fed copper oxychloride diet incorporated with dithane (2.5 +2.5 ppm) had a significant decrease on the Activities of  ALAT in second 15 days, Hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolaemia were recorded. Serum total protein, albumin globulin were increased with an increase in urea level and creatinine, P <0.01, while uric acid recorded a significant decrease, P<0.05, in all experimental rats group. Such complicated investigation to ascertain the combined effects of multiple chemicals usually requires a large number of animals and a long period of time, this is almost impossible with conventional carcinogenicity studies. The results presented in this study may be useful for the rapid detection of carcinogenic agents.