Biochemical and toxicological studies on the mixtures of three commonly-used herbicides in mice.
Herbicidal-mixtures have not been adequately studied in biological systems. Therefore, mixtures of three commonly-used herbicides were evaluated. Alachlor (AL), atrazine (AT), picloram (PI), AL+AT, AT+PI, PI+AL and AL+AT+PI, at 10 ppm (in drinking water) of each herbicide, were provided to mice for 30, as well as for 90, days ad libitum; these herbicides and mixtures, at 100 mg/kg (in corn oil) of each herbicide, were also given to additional groups of mice by oral intubation daily for 21 days. In the 30-day test, the spleen/body weight ratios on Day 31 with respect to the control were increased in the AT (53%) and AL+AT (44%) groups. Decreases in the body weights were noted in the treated groups after Day 31 during the 90-day test. Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and alkaline phosphatase activities with AL+AT+PI were elevated by 36-92% on Day 91; SGPT (34%) and SGOT (73%) activities were increased with AL. During the 21-day oral intubation study, the mouse body weights in the mixture groups were generally lower than the control (p < or = 0.05). The liver/body weight ratios were elevated in all groups (16-38%); the spleen/body weight ratio increased with PI (50%). The kidney/body weight ratios were high with PI+AL and AL+AT+PI (p < or = 0.05). Excluding AT, the pentobarbital-induced sleep was less (51-77%) in the herbicide-treated groups. Also, necrosis of individual and small groups of hepatocytes was noted with the mixtures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Biochemistry Research Section, Federal Aviation Administration, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125.
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Chaturvedi
D000081:Acetamides / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001280:Atrazine / Q000633:toxicity; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010846:Picloram / Q000633:toxicity
D000081:Acetamides; D006540:Herbicides; C000188:alachlor; D010846:Picloram; D001280:Atrazine