Effects of pesticides on the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes – A brief review.

Abstract

Despite their applications in other fields, agriculture is the main source of environmental contamination by pesticides. Pesticides and their metabolites have been found in the oceans, soil and atmosphere, and are probably responsible for the loss of biodiversity and deterioration of the natural environment. Roundup® is the pesticide most used in Brazil. Recents studies have demonstrated that ghyphosate (the main ingredient of Roundup®), while considered to be of low risk, generates osmotic fragility at the concentrations recommended by the manufactures. The problems caused by this pesticide can be explained by hypoxia caused by hemolysis of erythrocytes. Such pesticides can be associated with the acquisition of dementia. With the growth of populational aging rates in Brazil, the time-dependent contact of individuals with dangerous substances is correspondingly greater, and putatively, the growth of dementia caused by exogenous factors also increase. Contamination of the environment by pesticides and the diseases provoked by them can therefore be considered to constitute a problem of public health.

Keywords

• pesticide
• membranes
• osmotic fragility