The Ameliorative Effect of Royal Jelly against Malathion Genotoxicity in Bone Marrow and Liver of Rat

Abstract

Malathion an organophosphate insecticide is used extensively in public health, agriculture and household purposes. The present investigation aimed to evaluate the genotoxicity of malathion and the possible protective effect of royal jelly against this genotoxicity. Male albino rats were orally administered royal jelly at the doses of 100 or 250 mg/kg body weight for 5 consecutive days then challenged with malathion at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight by gavage. 24 and 48hours thereafter, animals were sacrificed and bone marrow samples were collected for micronucleus test and liver samples were used for DNA damage detection by comet assay. Malathion alone-treated mice presented significant (P<0.001) increase in the frequencies of MnPCEs compared with the controls. Malathion also lowered the PCEs/NCEs ratios than in controls (P<0.01). Furthermore, the alkaline comet assay showed significantly increased tail moment in liver cells of animals treated with malathion alone compared to control group. On the other hand, oral pretreatment with RJ significantly ameliorated the genotoxicity induced by malathion. RJ provided significant protection against malathion-induced genotoxicity, in a dose dependent manner. Results indicate that malathion treatment induces cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in bone marrow cells, and liver cells of albino rats and RJ is a potent antioxidant against this effects.