title: Abamectin effects on aspartate aminotransferase and nitric oxide in rats.
abstract: Abamectin is widely used as an insecticide and an anthelmintic. A previous report indicated that abamectin was used to commit suicide and led to death in Taiwan. This investigation focused on the toxicological effects of abamectin on serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and nitrate/nitrite (NO) levels in rats. After rats were gavaged with abamectin ranging from 1 to 20 mg/kg/body weight, AST and NO levels were examined within 12 h. AST and NO levels were elevated in abamectin-dosed rats in a dose-dependent manner. The least increase of AST corresponded to the highest enhancement of NO release at 6 h. A negative correlation coefficient (r=-0.55) between AST and NO was found. Both NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester and aminoguanidine, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, increased the AST level induced by abamectin. These findings suggest that NO may be involved in the alteration of AST release induced by abamectin in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: D Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000633:toxicity; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007306:Insecticides; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C048324:abamectin; D007559:Ivermectin; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester