title: Malathion and fenvalerate induce micronuclei in mouse bone marrow cells.
abstract: Health effects of pesticides are a major public health concern. In this study, the genotoxic effects of two commonly-used pesticides, malathion, and fenvalerate, were investigated in mice in vivo. Induction of micronuclei in bone marrow cells was used as the test parameter following exposure to 2.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg malathion by intraperitoneal (i.p.) or per oral (p.o.) exposure. Exposure by both routes was found to cause a significant increase in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) in a dose-dependent manner (r = 0.9769; P < 0.05). The highest dose (10 mg/kg) induced significant (P < 0.05) cytotoxicity. In contrast, fenvalerate caused an increase in micronucleated PCEs only at higher doses (10 and 20 mg/kg) via i.p. injection, and was not associated with cytotoxicity. A significant dose-response correlation was not observed in the dose ranges tested for fenvalerate (r = 0.8704; P > 0.05). The results suggest that technical grade malathion is a genotoxic agent. In contrast, technical grade fenvalerate appears to be a potent genotoxic agent, but this observation should be confirmed with further investigation(s).
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Life Science & Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008294:Malathion / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000633:toxicity*; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D009570:Nitriles; D011722:Pyrethrins; D008294:Malathion; C017690:fenvalerate