The formamidine amitraz as a hyperglycemic alpha-agonist in worker honeybees (Apis mellifera mellifera L.) in vivo.
Intra-abdominal injection of amitraz (0.25 nmol per honeybee, i.e., approx 2.3 nmol/g) to emerging worker bees, in vivo, led to a significant hypertrehalosemia (300-400%) followed by a hyperglucosemia (approximately equal to 600%). Maxima were reached at 0.5 and 2 h, respectively. A strong negative correlation between glucosemia and trehalosemia appeared after injection of pure phentolamine (1 nmol per bee), suggesting stimulation of trehalase activities. Simultaneous administration of the alpha-blocker at greater than or equal to 0.25 nmol per individual suppressed the hyperglycemic response of amitraz. The formamidine pesticide thus likely acts on the honeybee alpha-aminergic system.
Cascino
P
P
Laboratory of Biochemistry, INRA-Avignon, Montfavet, France.
Nectoux
M
M
Guiraud
G
G
Bounias
M
M
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014052:Toluidines / Q000633:toxicity*; D014199:Trehalose / Q000097:blood
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007306:Insecticides; D014052:Toluidines; C014983:amitraz; D014199:Trehalose; D010646:Phentolamine