title: Effect of benomyl and carbendazim on steroid and molecular mechanisms in uterine decidual growth in rats.
abstract: The present study examined the influence of two benzimidazole fungicides benomyl and carbendazim (MCB), in dosages of 500 and 1000 mg kg-1 for 5 days, on the capacity of decidual growth in pseudopregnant rats. The aim of the research was to determine whether the antimitotic activity of both chemicals was being mediated by way of hormonal and molecular mechanisms at the uterine level. The results show that both fungicides produced reductions in uterine decidual weight (P < 0.01) and uterine protein content (P < 0.05). However, levels of serum estradiol and progesterone and the binding capacities of cytosol estrogen and progesterone receptors remained essentially unchanged. Subsequently, the antigrowth-antimitotic activity of benomyl and MCB, at 500 and 1000 mg kg-1 dosages, on the decidual uterus is direct, and apparently does not involve steroidal or receptor mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA 70813, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: M X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D001542:Benomyl / Q000633:toxicity*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D002219:Carbamates; D003656:Decidua / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013256:Steroids / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002219:Carbamates; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D013256:Steroids; C006698:carbendazim; D001542:Benomyl