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Sub-acute Effect of Glyphosate on Antioxidant Status and Lipids of Rat Brain


M. A. Adaikpoh
V. E. Shanomi

Abstract

Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide is one of the most commonly used herbicides. Indiscriminate use of this herbicide might have impact on non-target species including humans. The objective of this study was to determine the sub-acute effect of Roundup on malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipids of rat brain. Thirty two adult male rats (Wistar strain) divided into 4 groups of 8 rats each, were used for this study. Group one served as the control and was given distilled water. The test groups T3, T4 and T6 were given graded doses: 300, 400 and 600 mg Roundup Kg-1body wt respectively, orally for 8 days. At the end of the treatment period the brain was excised. Alterations in the integrity of brain cell membrane was determined by the estimation of the MDA level, total cholesterol (CHOL), total phospholipid (TPL), phosphatidylcholine (PC) phosphtidylethanolamine (PE), PC/PE and TPL/CHOL molar ratios. Results showed that there were significant (p<0.05) reductions in MDA and cholesterol levels of all the Roundup-exposed rats relative to the control. However the MDA levels were elevated in the liver and kidney. The TPL/CHOL molar ratios were normal in the T4 and T6-treatment groups while the PC/PE molar ratios were significantly (p<0.05) increased relative to the control. The pattern observed for the T3-treatment group was opposite that observed for the T4 and T6-treatment groups. This study suggests that the rearrangement in the lipid composition of the test groups might be an adaptive mechanism for the maintenance of constant bilayer fluidity and consequently brain cell homeostasis.

Key Words: Roundup, membrane fluidity; lipids, brain, rat


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eISSN: 2705-3822
print ISSN: 1596-7409