title: Genotoxicity of glyphosate assessed by the comet assay and cytogenetic tests.
abstract: It was evaluated the genotoxicity of glyphosate which up to now has heterogeneous results. The comet assay was performed in Hep-2 cells. The level of DNA damage in the control group (5.42±1.83 arbitrary units) for tail moment (TM) measurements has shown a significant increase (p<0.01) with glyphosate at a range concentration from 3.00 to 7.50mM. In the chromosome aberrations (CA) test in human lymphocytes the herbicide (0.20-6.00mM) showed no significant effects in comparison with the control group. In vivo, the micronucleus test (MNT) was evaluated in mice at three doses rendering statistical significant increases at 400mg/kg (13.0±3.08 micronucleated erythrocytes/1000 cells, p<0.01). In the present study glyphosate was genotoxic in the comet assay in Hep-2 cells and in the MNT test at 400mg/kg in mice. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were quantified in their organs. The results showed an increase in these enzyme activities.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria (FAV), Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC), Ruta 36, KM 601, 5800, Río Cuarto, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mañas
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raviolo
authors.forename: Hugo García
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Ovando
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weyers
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ugnia
authors.forename: Marcela Gonzalez
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cid
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Larripa
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gorla