Biological monitoring of embrio-fetal exposure to methamidophos or chlorothalonil on rat development.
Maternal exposure to pesticides during the pre-implantation and very early post-implantation periods of pregnancy is correlated with numerous adverse effects on the offspring and in reproductive parameters like an increase in resorption, a decrease in fetal survival and weight, and teratogenic effects. Although the epidemiological evidence is inconclusive as regards the risk of the adverse outcome of pregnancy and developmental toxicity events, the use of biomarkers in exposure assessment may contribute to recognizing a potential health impairment. The present study evaluated the influence of prenatal oral exposure to an insecticide (1.0 mg methamidophos/kg) or a fungicide (200.0 mg chlorothalonil/kg) during gestation days 1 to 6 on maturational and behavioral aspects of offspring development of rats. The pesticides did not affect the body weight gain of dams and offspring, nor did the exposure affect the weight of gravid uterus, fetus, placenta and ovary. There were no observed alterations in the swimming behavior tested at postnatal days 7, 14 and 21, but the pesticides interfered with physical and maturational development landmarks of offspring according to age, showing subtle effects on behavioral and physical development. These findings show the importance of categorizing developmental effects, establishing the relationship between age and important performances, to recognize potential impacts on human populations.
de Castro
V L
VL
Embrapa Environment, Jaguariuna, SP, Brazil.
Chiorato
S H
SH
Pinto
N F
NF
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001724:Birth Weight; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013550:Swimming
D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D007306:Insecticides; D009570:Nitriles; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds; C014655:methamidophos; C005806:tetrachloroisophthalonitrile