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The indiscriminate use of cypermethrin, a type II pyrethroid to enhance crop production has aroused great concern, because this product is likely to reach the aquatic environment, thereby posing a health concern to humans and animals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of piperine on cypermethrin-induced genotoxicity in Wistar rats. Thirty adult male rats (6-8 weeks old) weighing 100-200 g were divided into five equal groups of six each. Group I was kept as the control and group II was used as vehicle control. Groups III, IV and V were administered orally with cypermethrin (25 mg/kg b.wt.), piperine (50 mg/kg b.wt.), and cypermethrin and piperine daily for 28 days, respectively. Administration of cypermethrin (25 mg/kg, b.wt.) orally for 28 days resulted in significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei formation in bone marrow cells and DNA damage. Piperine (50 mg/kg, b.wt. ) oral administration caused significant reduction in micronuclei formation and marked reduction in DNA damage. The study revealed that presence of piperine could reduce cypermethrin-induced genotoxicity in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-[3-carbamoylsulfanyl-2-(dimethylamino)propyl] carbamothioate (Cartap) (CAS number: 15263-52-2) is a synthetic insecticide of thiocarbamates group that is extensively used in field of agriculture for controlling of several pests like rice stem borer, leaf folder pests in paddy field and diamond back moth, aphids in cabbage and cauliflower crops. Cartap, as a pesticide has not been investigated yet for its effect on vital organs and biochemical stress in vivo and the present study was undertaken to evaluate the same in Swiss albino mice. For this purpose male mice were given three different dose levels of cartap, i.e. 5 mg/kg, 7.5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight respectively, for 28 days orally. Water was used as vehicle to dissolve cartap. Oral administration of cartap caused significant increase in serum biomarkers, tissue oxidants and decrease in antioxidants along with histopathological findings in liver, kidney and brain tissues. Thus, present study showed that in vivo exposure to cartap induces tissue damage probably via oxidative stress in important vital organs of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cartap is a synthetic insecticide of thiocarbamates group and extensively used in agriculture to control rice stem borer and several other pests. Cartapinduced histopathological changes in lungs are yet to be studied in vivo. Present study was undertaken to evaluate the cartap induced histopathological changes in lungs after subacute oral exposure in mice. Mice were divided into four groups containing control and treatment groups. Mice in the treatment groups were exposed to the different doses of cartap, i.e. 5 mg/kg, 7.5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg bw. respectively for 28 days. Thus, the result of present study demonstrated that in vivo exposure to cartap induce severe and prominent histopathological alterations in lungs of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a potent environmental pollutant and immunotoxic agent. Curcumin is a natural anti-oxidant used to treat a broad variety of diseases. Here, the effects were investigated of curcumin on sodium arsenite-induced apoptosis in murine splenocytes in vitro. Cells were exposed to sodium arsenite (NaAsO2, 5 µM) with and without curcumin (5 and 10 µg/ml) and incubated at 37°C for 12 h. NaAsO2 caused a decrease in cell viability and induction of apoptosis. These outcomes were concurrent with increases in the numbers of cells with reactive oxygen species generation, loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, an increase in the frequency of cells with sub-G1 DNA content, and DNA fragmentation. Co-administration of curcumin with the NaAsO2 caused significant recoveries in cell viability values and mitigation of the induced apoptosis-related molecular changes. A significant protection against apoptosis parameters in murine splenocytes simultaneously treated with NaAsO2 and curcumin suggested a protective efficacy of curcumin. From the results it is concluded that the immuno-modulation exerted by curcumin might be attributed to its multifaceted effects including its anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic properties. These findings have implications not only for the under-standing of the toxicity of arsenic to murine splenocytes in vitro but are also potentially important for developing preventive and/or corrective strategies against/during chronic arsenicosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]