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Comparative studies on endogenic stress hormones, antioxidant, biochemical and hematological status of metabolic disturbance in albino rat exposed to roundup herbicide and its active ingredient glyphosate

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Abstract

There have been growing concerns and uncertainty about reports attributing the metabolic disturbance induced by a commercial formulation of glyphosate-based herbicide to its active ingredient. We therefore compared the effects of Roundup Original® and its active ingredient glyphosate on some hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) hormones and oxidative stress markers, biochemical and hematological profiles in 56 adult male albino rats randomly assigned to seven treatments of eight rats per treatment. The rats were orally exposed to Roundup Original® and its active ingredient daily at 3.6 mg/kg body weight (bw), 50.4 and 248.4 mg/kgbw of glyphosate equivalent concentrations for 12 weeks, while control treatment received distilled water. Serum concentrations of corticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, aldosterone and concentration of oxidative stress marker, biochemical and hematological profiles in the blood were determined. Concentrations of corticosterone and aldosterone were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in rats treated with Roundup in a dose-dependent manner. Reduced glutathione concentration, catalase, and butyrylcholinesterase activities reduced significantly in rats treated with Roundup relative to those treated with the active ingredient. Lipid peroxidation was observed in rats treated with Roundup. Biochemical and hematological profiles of rats treated with Roundup were significantly altered (p < 0.05). However, significant changes in only acid phosphatase, lactase dehydrogenase, bilirubin, and white blood cells in rats treated with the active ingredient at 50.4 mg/kg were observed. The severe metabolic disturbance and stress observed in rats treated with the commercial formulation of Roundup herbicide may not be associated with the mild changes induced by the active ingredient.

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Acknowledgements

Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University permitted us to use its facilities. We also appreciate the technical assistance of laboratory technologist in the central biotechnology laboratory of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, University of Lagos and Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria.

Funding

We received financial support for this study through the 2013 needs assessment special presidential intervention fund in public Universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Folarin Owagboriaye & Mistura Adeleke

  2. Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, College of Bioscience, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Gabriel Dedeke, Kehinde Ademolu & Adeyinka Aladesida

  3. Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, College of Environmental Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Olanrewaju Olujimi

Authors
  1. Folarin Owagboriaye
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  2. Gabriel Dedeke
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  3. Kehinde Ademolu
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  4. Olanrewaju Olujimi
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  5. Adeyinka Aladesida
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  6. Mistura Adeleke
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Contributions

The experiment was conceived by FO and GD; designed by FO, GD, KA, and OO; and performed by FO and MA. Analysis of data and results interpretation was done by FO and AA. The manuscript was drafted by FO and revised by all the authors before final approval was given.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Folarin Owagboriaye.

Ethics declarations

We conducted the experimental protocol according to the regulations of the local ethics committee in animal care unit of our universities. Ethical guidelines of animal experimentation (regulation CEE 86/609) were followed in performing the animal study.

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The authors declare no competing interest in this research.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Owagboriaye, F., Dedeke, G., Ademolu, K. et al. Comparative studies on endogenic stress hormones, antioxidant, biochemical and hematological status of metabolic disturbance in albino rat exposed to roundup herbicide and its active ingredient glyphosate. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 14502–14512 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04759-1

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