title: Dig1 protects against locomotor and biochemical dysfunctions provoked by Roundup.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plant medicinal extracts may be claimed to prevent or cure chemical intoxications. Few of these are tested for their mechanisms of actions in vivo and for their cellular impacts. In 2011, we demonstrated that hepatic cell mortality induced by environmentally realistic levels of the widely used herbicide Roundup (R) in vitro can be almost entirely prevented by plant extracts called Dig1 (D, Digeodren).
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested the in vivo effects of D alone (1.2 ml/kg bw/d), but also prior to and during 8 days of R intoxication (at 135 mg/kg bw/d) in a total of 4 groups of 40 adult Sprague-Dawley male rats each. After treatments, horizontal and vertical locomotor activities of the animals were measured by use of actimeters. Brain, liver, kidneys, heart and testes were collected and weighted. Body weights as well as feed and water consumption were recorded. Proteins, creatinine, urea, phosphate, potassium, sodium, calcium, chloride ions, testosterone, estradiol, AST and ALT were measured in serum. In liver S9 fractions, GST, GGT, and CYP450 (1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  D did not have any physiological or biochemical observable impact alone at 2 %. Out of a total of 29 measured parameters, 8 were significantly affected by R absorption within only 8 days. On these 8 parameters, only 2 were not restored by D (GGT activity and plasmatic phosphate), 5 were totally restored (horizontal and vertical locomotor activities, CYP2D6 activity, plasmatic Na + and estradiol), and the 6th was almost restored (plasmatic K+). The specificities of the toxic effects of R and of the therapeutic effects of D treatment were thus demonstrated, both at the behavioural and biochemical levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  D, without any side effect observable in these conditions, presented strong preventive and therapeutic properties in vivo after a short-term intoxication by the widely used pesticide Roundup.
authors.affiliation: University of Caen Normandy (UCN), Institute of Biology (IBFA), EA2608 and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment MRSH, Esplanade de la Paix, CS 14032, Caen Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Steeve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gress
authors.affiliation: Sevene Pharma, Mazet Pailhès, 30170, Monoblet, France.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laurant
authors.affiliation: University of Caen Normandy (UCN), Institute of Biology (IBFA), EA2608 and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment MRSH, Esplanade de la Paix, CS 14032, Caen Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Defarge
authors.affiliation: University of Caen Normandy (UCN), Institute of Biology (IBFA), EA2608 and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment MRSH, Esplanade de la Paix, CS 14032, Caen Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Travert
authors.affiliation: University of Caen Normandy (UCN), Institute of Biology (IBFA), EA2608 and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment MRSH, Esplanade de la Paix, CS 14032, Caen Cedex 5, France. gilles-eric.seralini@unicaen.fr.
authors.forename: Gilles-Éric
authors.initials: GÉ
authors.lastname: Séralini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000097797:Glyphosate
chemical_list: D005998:Glycine; D006540:Herbicides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D000097797:Glyphosate
keywords: Detoxification; Dig1 (Digeodren); Glyphosate-based herbicide; Kidney; Liver; Toxicity