POSSIBLE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF GRAPE SEED OIL ON METHOMYL AND IMIDACLOPRID TOXICITY ON MALE RATS

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the toxic effect of two common used pesticides, methomyl (M) and imidacloprid (IM), on brain, male reproductive system and the possible protective effect of grape seed oil. The adult male rats were divided into 10 groups as follows, control, grape seed control group (G) 4mL/kg bw, 1/10 LD50 of methomyl (M), 1/20 LD50 of M, 1/10 LD50 M+G, 1/20 LD50 of M+G, 1/10 LD50 of imidacloprid (IM), 1/20 LD50 of IM, 1/10 LD50 IM+G and 1/20 LD50 of IM+G. each group contain 10 rats. The animals were treated orally for four and eight weeks and then decapitated. Brain cortex and hippocampus oxidative stress (glutathione S transferase GST, glutathione peroxidase GPX, superoxide dismutase SOD, malondialdhyde MDA and nitric oxide NO), Na+K+ATPase and acetyl-cholinesterase AChE were determined. Testes (glutathione S transferase GST, glutathione peroxidase GPX, superoxide dismutase SOD, malondialdhyde MDA and nitric oxide NO), serum (testosterone, luteinizing hormone LH and follicle stimulating hormone FSH) and epididymis sperm count were assayed. Cortex, hippocampus and testes GST, GPX, MDA and NO were significantly increase, while SOD, Na+K+ATPase and AChE were significantly reduced in all treated groups in comparison with the control. A marked decrease was reported in serum testosterone and sperm count. The use of grape seed oil for protection induced a little significant improvement for some of the investigated parameters but not to the level of the control, it even increases the harmful effect of the pesticides in some parameters. The histological sections support these results. The study suggested that the oil antioxidant not improve the brain toxicity induced by methomyl or imidacloprid it is also concluded that, pesticides induced adverse effects on male rats fertility by impairing both testicular function and histological. Key words: Grape seed oil – Methomyl – Imidacloprid – Toxicity.