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Oxidative stress, genotoxicity, biochemical and histopathological modifications induced by epoxiconazole in liver and kidney of Wistar rats

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Abstract

Epoxiconazole (EPX) is a triazole fungicide commonly used in agriculture and for domestic purposes around the world. The excessive application of this pesticide may result in a variety of adverse effects on non-target organisms, including humans. Since, the liver and kidneys are the target organs of this fungicide, potential hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects are of high relevance. Thus, our study aimed to investigate the toxic effects of EPX on the liver and kidney of Wistar rats. The exposure of rats to EPX at these concentrations (8, 24, 40, 56 mg/kg bw representing, respectively, NOEL (no observed effect level), NOEL × 3, NOEL × 5, and NOEL × 7) for 28 days significantly enhances hepatic and renal lipid peroxidation which is accompanied by an increase in the level of protein oxidation. Furthermore, the results of the present study clearly indicated that EPX administration induces an increase in the levels of DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the activities of liver and kidney antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) are increased significantly in EPX-treated rats at concentrations of 8, 24, and 40 mg/kg bw. However, with the dose NOEL × 7 (56 mg/kg bw of EPX), the activities of CAT, GPx, and GST are decreased. Indeed, EPX-intoxicated rats revealed a significant reduction in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in both liver and kidney compared with the control group. Also, our results demonstrated that the EPX administration leads to a disruption of the hepatic (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) and renal (uric acid and creatinine) functions. The biochemical perturbations obtained in the present study are corroborated with the histopathological modifications. Since EPX treatment caused severe damage in the overall histo-architecture of liver and kidney tissues, these results suggest that administration of EPX induced a marked deregulation of liver and kidney functions.

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Funding

This study was supported by “The Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Research on Biologically Compatible Compounds, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Monastir, Rue Avicenne, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia

    Hiba Hamdi, Yosra Ben Othmène & Salwa Abid-Essefi

  2. Laboratory of Histology and Cytogenetic (Research Unit of Genetic, Genotoxicity and Childhood Illness UR12ES10), Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Street Avicenne, 5019, Monastir, Tunisia

    Oumaima Ammar & Zohra Houas

  3. Research Laboratory “Bioressources: Integrative Biology & Valorisation”, University of Monastir, Street Avicenne, 5019, Monastir, Tunisia

    Aida Klifi

  4. Laboratory of Biochemistry and Toxicology, Hospital of Monastir, Fattouma Bourguiba University, Monastir, Tunisia

    Elhem Hallara, Faten Ben Ghali & Mohamec Fadhel Najjar

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  1. Hiba Hamdi
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Hamdi, H., Othmène, Y.B., Ammar, O. et al. Oxidative stress, genotoxicity, biochemical and histopathological modifications induced by epoxiconazole in liver and kidney of Wistar rats. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 17535–17547 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05022-3

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