A two generation chronic mixture toxicity study of Clophen A60 and diethyl phthalate after gestational and lactational exposure in female Wistar rats

• Published in: Pesticide biochemistry and physiology 2007-06, Vol.88 (2), p.156-166
• Main Authors: Pereira, Contzen, Mapuskar, Kranti, Vaman Rao, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Clophen A60; Diethyl phthalate (DEP); Enzymes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generation; Histology; Liver; Mixture; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Serum
• ISSN: 0048-3575; 1095-9939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2006.10.008

Polychlorinated biphenyls and diethyl phthalate are both lipophilic in nature and are likely to be present in the same environmental compartment or bioaccumalate over a period of time, thus a mixture toxicity study was undertaken to evaluate the type of interaction between polychlorinated biphenyls (Clophen A60) and diethyl phthalate over two generations in female Wistar rats. Healthy male and female albino rats of Wistar strain weighing 75–100 g (6–7 weeks old) were randomly assigned to four groups of six each. Group I male and female rats were fed on normal diet and water ad libitum. Group II male and female rats were maintained on normal diet mixed with corn oil as oil control. GroupS III and IV male and female rats were given Clophen A60 and diethyl phthalate dissolved in corn oil mixed with the diet at 50 mg/kg of the diet individually to each group. Group V male and female rats received a mixture of diethyl phthalate and Clophen A60, each dissolved in corn oil mixed with the diet at 50 mg/kg of the diet. Hundred days after the treatment, females were mated with the males in each group for 10 days. Exposure to diethyl phthalate and Clophen A60 was continued throughout mating, gestation until termination at weaning, which was 150 days of total treatment period of the parental generation female rats. Treatment for F1 generation male and female pups (6 males & 6 females) with Clophen A60 and diethyl phthalate individually and in mixture was continued at doses reduced to 25 mg/kg of the diet after they reached 75–100 g in weight. The treatment was carried out similar to the parental generation for a period of 150 days. Liver and serum aspartate aminotransferase, liver cholesterol and glycogen were significantly increased in the F1 generation Clophen A60 + diethyl phthalate treated group, whereas serum cholesterol, liver glutathione and glutathione reductase showed a significant decrease in the F1 generation Clophen A60 + diethyl phthalate treated group as compared to the parental generation mixture and individually treated groups as well as the individually treated F1 generation groups. A significant increase was observed in the liver and serum aspartate aminotransferase activity of Clophen A60 and serum aspartate aminotransferase levels of diethyl phthalate treated F1 generation rats as compared to the parental generation Clophen A60 and diethyl phthalate individually and mixture treated rats. Liver glutathione levels were significantly decreased in the