Changes of lipid spectrum in different tissues of Furadan-treated mice

Insecticide Exposure and Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the prevalent liver disease resulting from metabolic disorder, which is highly associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Emerging evidence has shown that insecticide exposure disrupts lipid and glucose metabolism and results in obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the potential impact of insecticide exposure on the liver functions related to NAFLD development is largely unknown. Thus, this perspective focused on the current knowledge of the effect of insecticides on the liver functions, particularly lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as other liver functions to correlate insecticide exposure and the development of NAFLD.

Potential contribution of insecticide exposure and development of obesity and type 2 diabetes

The introduction of insecticides has greatly improved agricultural productivity and human nutrition; however, the wide use of insecticides has also sparked growing concern over their health impacts. Increased rate of cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, reproductive dysfunction, birth defects, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and aging have been linked with insecticide exposure. Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence is suggesting that exposure to insecticides can also potentiate the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This review summarizes the relationship between insecticide exposure and development of obesity and type 2 diabetes using epidemiological and rodent animal studies, including potential mechanisms. The evidence as a whole suggests that exposure to insecticides is linked to increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Effect of oral administration of fenitrothion on biochemical and hematological parameters in rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute exposure to various doses of fenitrothion (FNT) on level of serum glucose, total protein, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and some hematological parameters. The study was conducted on 8-week-old male Wistar rats that divided into four groups (three experimental groups and one control group), were treated orally with different doses (25, 50 and 100 mg kg(-1)) of fenitrothion for 28 consecutive day. After treatment, blood samples were collected for biochemical and hematological studies. Present results demonstrated that exposed groups led to significant dose-dependent increase in serum glucose and cholesterol levels. Significant decrease was observed in some hematological parameters [Red Blood Cell (RBC) counts, Hemoglobin (Hb), Haematocrite (Ht) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) values]. Serum total protein and triglycerides were also decreased not significantly in exposed groups when compared with control. Generally, the degrees of observed variations were found to be dose dependent.

N-acetylcysteine ameliorates carbofuran-induced alterations in lipid composition and activity of membrane bound enzymes

The present work investigates the protective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on carbofuran-induced alterations in lipid composition and activity of membrane bound enzymes (Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase) in the rat brain. Animals were exposed to carbofuran at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight, orally, for a period of 28 days. A significant increase in lipid peroxidation in terms of TBARS was observed in brain after carbofuran exposure. NAC administration (200 mg/kg body weight) on the other hand lowered the carbofuran-induced lipid peroxidation to near normal. The increased lipid peroxidation following carbofuran exposure was accompanied by a significant decrease in the levels of total lipids, which is attributed to the reduction in phospholipid levels. Furthermore, NAC administration had a beneficial effect on carbofuran-induced alterations in lipid composition. The ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid, a major determinant of membrane fluidity, was increased in response to carbofuran exposure. This was associated with decreased activity of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase. NAC was observed to offer protection by restoring the cholesterol to phospholipid ratio along with the activity of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase. The results clearly suggest that carbofuran exerts its neurotoxic effects by increasing lipid peroxidation, altering lipid composition and activity of membrane bound enzymes. NAC administration ameliorated the effects of carbofuran suggesting its potential therapeutic effects in carbofuran neurotoxicity.

Effect of diazinon, an organophosphate insecticide, on plasma lipid constituents in experimental animals

There has been increasing interest in studying the various effects of organophosphate insecticides in humans and experimental animals. Only a few data are available on the effect of the organophosphate insecticide, diazinon, on lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diazinon on plasma lipid constituents in mammalian animals. The plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and phospholipids (PL) were measured in albino rats that were orally treated with a single dose of diazinon at a level of LD(50) or with repeated daily doses at the levels of 1/2, 1/8, and 1/32 LD(50) for 2, 8, and 32 days, respectively. After a 24 h post-treatment with a single LD(50) dose of diazinon, TC was not significantly changed, the HDL-C and PL levels were significantly decreased, but the LDL-C and TG levels were significantly increased. Separate daily oral administrations of diazinon at 1/2 LD(50), 1/8 LD(50), and 1/32 LD(50) doses resulted in a significant decrease in HDL-C and PL, with no significant change in TG. The LDL-C levels were significantly increased and TC showed no significant change with 1/2 LD(50) and 1/32 LD(50) doses of diazinon, whereas a significant decrease in the levels of TC, HDL-C, as well as LDL-C, was observed with the 1/8 LD(50) dose. These data suggest that diazinon may interfere with lipid metabolism in mammals.

Carbofuran toxicity

Carbofuran, an anticholinesterase carbamate, is commonly used as an insecticide, nematicide, and acaricide in agricultural practice throughout the world. Due to its widespread use in agriculture, contamination of food, water, and air has become imminent, and consequently adverse health effects are inevitable in humans, animals, wildlife, and fish. Currently, carbofuran's involvement is most frequently encountered in malicious poisoning. The literature on chemical properties, acute toxicity data, poisoning incidences, pharmacokinetics, and mechanism of toxicity of carbofuran is briefly reviewed. Much emphasis is given to the metabolism of carbofuran, and the impact of carbofuran and its two major metabolites (3-hydroxycarbofuran and 3-ketocarbofuran) on overall toxicity. Biochemical (cholinergic and noncholinergic), hematological, and immunological effects induced by carbofuran are discussed in detail. Carbofuran and/or its major metabolites can cross the placental barrier and produce serious effects on the maternal-placental-fetal unit. Carbofuran's toxicity can be potentiated by simultaneous exposure with other cholinesterase inhibitors. Literature on various biomarkers of carbofuran exposure and on induced adverse health effects is also presented. To date, a combination of atropine and memantine remains the most effective antidotal treatment against acute carbofuran toxicity.

In vivo acute effects of carbofuran on protein, lipid, and lipoproteins in rat liver and serum

The objective of this investigation was to determine the changes in proteins, lipids, and lipoproteins in liver and serum of rats acutely intoxicated with carbofuran (1.5 mg/kg sc). Under the influence of carbofuran acute intoxication, analysis of globulin fractions revealed remarkable changes: In liver, the levels of alpha-2, alpha-3, and gamma were significantly elevated while alpha-1 was reduced; in serum, alpha-1 and alpha-3 fractions were elevated while alpha-2, beta, and gamma remained unchanged. A transient increase in total protein and albumin was noted only in liver. Carbofuran produced significant increases in triglycerides and cholesterol in liver that were also seen in serum. In both the liver and serum the levels of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were reduced while the values of very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) were elevated. The concentration of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was drastically reduced in liver (23% of control) with a proportional rise in serum (176%). In liver, carbofuran caused marked depletion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PCr) (38% and 22% of controls, respectively), resulting in increased cell membrane permeability, thereby allowing leakage of cell constituents. It was concluded that carbofuran, directly or indirectly, produced perturbations in lipoprotein metabolism.