Assessment of micronuclei formation for genotoxicity and hematological indices after exposure to commercial malathion and ascorbic acid: In vivo study

Abstract

Impurities in commercial formulations of Malathion cause pronounced toxicity and they interact with DNA, causing mutagenicity. Ascorbic acid is a potent water soluble antioxidant that protects the cellular compartment from oxygen and nitrogen radicals. In the present study effect of ascorbic acid was studied on 14 days of repeated treatment of commercial grade Malathion (CGM) induced toxicity assessed by micronuclei (MN) formation for genotoxicity and hematological indices in Swiss albino mice. The treatment with 50% of LD₅₀ and 5% of LD₅₀ of CGM (LD₅₀ :1000 mg /Kg body weight) resulted in a significant dose dependent increase in the frequency of MN. Significant decrease was observed in a dose dependent manner in the RBC, hematocrit, thrombocyte count as well as a significant increase in WBCs and reticulocytes. The treatment with 250 mg/Kg body weight of ascorbic acid did not have any effect on the MN induced by 50% LD₅₀ CGM treatment but arrested 5% LD₅₀ induced MN. A similar dose dependent result was obtained with ascorbic acid treatment with a normalization of hematological indices in 5% LD₅₀ treated animals. CGM treated animals in both the groups showed a significant decrease in body weight which was restored by ascorbic acid. The results of the present study suggest a protective effect of ascorbic acid against CGM induced genotoxic damage as well as altered hematological indices and bodyweight in a dose dependent manner.