TOXICO-PATHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF DICOFOL INSECTICIDE IN RATS

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Abstract

Thirty male white albino rats were used in this experiment. These rats divided into five groups, one group served as control, the other four groups received 58.7 mg/kg.B.wt. (1/10 LD50 of dicofol) orally in drinking water for 15, 30, 45 and 60days, respectively. Signs appeared were depressed and adopted abnormal posture with the head held in between the fore legs. They were trying to huddle at the corner of the cage. . There were histopathological changes in kidneys, liver and testes. These changes were congestion of the glomerular tuff with cloudy swelling of the tubular epithelium, narrowing of the lumina and congestion of the intertubular capillaries, vacuolar degeneration of the lining epithelium of renal tubules, congestion of the intertubular blood capillaries of renal medulla, cast formation and severe intertubular congestion and hemorrhages, and severe vacuolar as well as hydropic degeneration of the epithelium of the medullary renal tubules . Changes in liver were Cloudy swelling with hepatocellular hypertrophy. hepatocellular degeneration with congested vasculatures, mononuclear cell infiltration, and necrosis. Spleen changes were enlarged lymph follicle affected with lymphoid hyperplasia, dispersed splenic trabeculae with severely congested blood spaces, and excess of subcapsular vacuolations. Changes in testis were congested subcapsular blood vessel with interstitial edema, Excess luminal contents of the immature and necrotic spermatogonial cells, necrotic cellular debris inside the lumen of one semineferous tubule and hyperplastic Leydig cells. It is concluded that the chlorinated hydrocarbons dicofol is a dangerous insecticide used in eradication of agricultural pests specially for public health. It induces several histopathological changes in vital organs such as kidneys, liver and testicles.

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