Effect of carbaryl on some biochemical changes in rats: The ameliorative effect of bee pollen

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Abstract

In this study, 42 female Wistar albino rats, weighing between 200 and 250 g, were used and they were divided into six equal groups. Group 1 was allocated as the control group. Rats included in groups 2 and 3 were administered a water-solubilized extract of bee pollen at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw/day and 100 mg/kg bw/day, respectively. Group 4 received 225 mg/kg bw/day carbaryl. Groups 5 and 6 were given a water-solubilized extract of bee pollen at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw/day and 100 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, plus 225 mg/kg bw/day carbaryl. The indicated administrations were continued for 21 days for groups 1–6 by gavage. MDA levels and the activities of CAT, SOD and GSH-Px were analysed in blood and tissues (liver, kidney, brain and heart). At the same time, levels/activities of total protein, albumin, glucose, triglyceride, T-cholesterol, T-bilirubin, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, GGT, LDH, AST, ALT and ALP, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride were evaluated in serum samples. In conclusion, carbaryl was determined to cause negative changes in most of the oxidative stress markers and serum biochemical parameters investigated. These effects were observed to alleviate with the administration of bee pollen.

Introduction

Carbaryl is a carbamate pesticide used both in agricultural and house pest control and against ectoparasites of animals. Carbaryl exhibits a toxic effect characterized by the inhibition of the enzyme cholinesterase. Although mildly toxic for humans and domestic animals (class II), carbaryl is moderately toxic for fish, and non-toxic for poultry. The mean oral lethal dose of this insecticide for rats is 948 mg/kg. Carbaryl is toxic for honeybees (Jeleniewicz et al., 1992, Kaya, 2002, Wang et al., 2005, Mahajan et al., 2007).

Bee pollen, which is a floral type of pollen collected by honeybees, is known to be of particular essentiality for the reproduction and survival of these creatures. Pollens contain high levels of protein, amino acids, lipids, saccharin, vitamins and other compounds. These compounds bear great significance not only for the activities of honeybees but also for consumer health due to their presence in the composition of honey. Pollens are also rich in flavonoid and phenolic compounds. Their antioxidant effects are largely related to their free radical scavenging activity. The composition, which varies with botanical origin, is at the same time responsible for a high level of antioxidant activity (Sahinler, 2000, Campos et al., 2003, Arraez-Roman et al., 2007).

The present study was aimed at the evaluation of the negative effects of carbaryl, administered for a period of 21 days, based on tissue and blood analyses of certain biochemical parameters. Furthermore, the second and more important objective of the study was to determine the alleviating or curative effect of bee pollen, administered for the same period, on the possible changes in the parameters investigated.

Section snippets

Animal material and drug administration

The study was carried out in 42 female Wistar albino rats, weighing 200–250 g. The animals were divided into six equal groups, one for control and five for experimental purposes. The control group received 1 ml of soy oil once per day for the entire trial period. Groups 2 and 3 were given a water-solubilized extract of bee pollen at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, in 1 ml volume. Group 4 was administered carbaryl at a dose of 225 mg/kg bw/day in 1 ml of soy oil. Groups 5 and 6 were

Results

The total protein content of bee pollen was determined as 74.70 mg-total protein/g pollen. Furthermore, based on the results of GC–MS analysis for pollen composition, pollen was ascertained to contain organic acid, flavonoids, esters, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, terpenes, alcohol, ketone and others (Table 1).

The comparison of the plasma and tissue (liver, kidney, heart and brain) MDA and erythrocyte and tissue SOD, CAT and GSH-Px values of the groups which were administered pollen alone at two

Discussion

Certain compounds found in the composition of bee pollen are responsible for antioxidant activity. Among these, those most well known are phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds induce antiradical, in other words radical scavenging effect (Pietta, 2000, Martínez-Flórez et al., 2002). Furthermore, the amino acid content of bee pollen has similar effect. For, previous studies carried out in bee products have demonstrated protein components to possess antioxidant and radical scavenging activities (

Conclusion

According to the data obtained in the present study, the administration of carbaryl to rats at a dose of 225 mg/kg bw/day for a period of 21 days caused significant changes in oxidative stress markers and certain serum biochemical parameters. These changes were observed in the form of the improvement of values in the groups, which were administered bee pollen plus carbaryl. These results suggest that bee pollen has strong radical scavenging activity, and that it can be used either continuously

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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