SUBCHRONIC TOXICITY OF MANCOZEB FUNGICIDE ON MALE WISTAR RATS: ULTRASTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF LIVER AND KIDNEY

Abstract

Dithiocarbamate mancozeb, an organometallic fungicide, was administered orally to male Wistar rats in two forms, pure technical 85% and formulated 80% WP, at sublethal doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. for 28 days. Clinical chemical endpoints were measured after 2, 3, and 4 weeks of treatment initiation. Data disclosed that both compound formulations affected significantly serum enzyme activities particularly liver enzymes in a dose and time-dependent manner, compared with control. Such changes were accompanied with significant alterations in other parameters like; total protein, albumin, glucose, total lipids, triglycerides, cholestrol, urea, and creatinine. Furthermore, histological examination of liver and kidney showed several histopathogenic ubnormalities in the examined tissues of rats exposed to mancozeb either technical or formulated.

Keywords

• fungicides
• formulations
• toxicity
• liver
• kidney