Department of veterinary pharmacology and toxicology, lala lajpat rai university of veterinary and animal sciences, hissar (Haryana)
*Email: archana.lohiya@gmail.com
Online published on 13 December, 2017.
Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide is widely and most commonly used insecticide in pest control, seed treatment, termite control and as an ectoparasiticide in veterinary medicine. Its effects on non-target mammals have not been studied extensively. Study to assess its effects on microelement zinc in ovarian tissue was carried out in adult female Wistar rats at two levels (19 and 38 mg/kg/day) administered orally for 10, 20 and 30 days. Effects were compared with respective control groups administered with 2% gum acacia (1ml/100g b.wt).
There was significant increase (p < 0.05) in levels of zinc in ovarian tissue at 38 mg/kg dose of imidacloprid administered orally for 30 days. No significant changes were observed at 19 mg/kg dose of imidacloprid administered daily for 10, 20 and 30 days. Therefore, it is concluded that imidacloprid may alter microelement's uptake by ovarian tissue or microelement's redistribution within the organs and may affect directly or indirectly the synthesis of reproductive hormones. The results may be used for establishing a biomarker to imidacloprid poisoning/toxicity, and thus may help in differential diagnosis of poisoning or toxicity.
