288
C. R. Krishna Murti and T. S. S. Dikshith
Various concentrations of BHC, dieldrin, DDVP, lindane, diazinon, and
parathion solution, when coated on the skin of rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, and
dogs, produced loss in body weight and histopathological changes in the skin
(Dikshith et al., 1971; Dikshith and Datta, 1972a; Dikshith et al., 1974, 1976,
1978b; Sundaram et al., 1978). BHC (0.2%) exposure led to an increase in the
weight of the liver and altered the microsomal protein content and the level of
cytochrome P-450 (Rajamanickam and Padmanabhan, 1974). Acute exposure
to chlordane produced a significant change in the serum alkaline phosphatase
activity, and chronic exposure produced hyperproteinemia, hyperglycemia, and
a significant increase in serum acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in Indian
desert gerbils (Karel, 1976; Karel and Saxena, 1976). Biochemical effects of
DDT and also its carcinogenic potential have been reported (Aravindakshan et
al., 1977; Nageshwar Rao and Subrahmanyam, 1974; Gupta and Agarwal, 1977;
Kashyap and Gupta, 1971; Dikshith et al., 1975b; Kar and Dikshith, 1970). A
significant increase in the levels of liver and kidney enzymes by the beta isomer
of BHC has been observed. 'Y-BHC produced significant alterations in hepatic
asparate amonotransferase and the hepatic alkaline and acid phosphatase (Srinivasan and Radhakrishnamurthy, 1977).
Among the organophosphorus insecticides, toxicity of malathion in rats has
been studied in detail (Chauhan et al., 1973, 1974; Krishnamurthy et al., 1965;
Pawar and Makhija, 1975; Bhagavat and Ramachandran, 1973, 1975). It has
been shown that inhibition of acetylcholine esterase activity due to malathion
administration in the brain and heart was dose related, while such a relationship
was not observed in other tissues. In another study conducted to investigate the
effects of malathion on hepatic drug metabolism and lipid peroxidation in young
rats, the protein content was found to increase significantly in males but to
decrease significantly in females. There was an appreciable increase in aminopyrine-N-demethylase activity and in acetanilide hydroxylase activity in both
male and female rats. Other insecticides studied included metasystox, phorate,
pyrethrum, dichlorovos, and baygon (Mitra et al., 1978; Thontadarya et al.,
1974; Saxena and Karel, 1975; Pawar and Makhija, 1975; Fatehyab and Mahdi
Hasan, 1977). Effects of pesticides on reproduction in mammals have been
investigated (Agarwal and Ahmed, 1978). Carbaryl (200 mg/kg, 3 days/week)
did not alter the fertility of male rats (Dikshith et al., 1975a). Endosulfan (2.0
mg/kg) did not suggest any reproductive effects in male and female rats (Dikshith
et al., unpublished data).
Toxicological studies on DDT, BHC, lindane, endrin, endosulfan, parathion, fenitrothion, diazinon, malathion, phenthoate, dichlorovos, phosphamidon, quinalphos, and carbaryl using different species of laboratory animals have
also been carried out at the Industrial Toxicology Research Center, Lucknow.
The objectives included exploration of the in vivo cytogenetic, morphological,
pharmacological, biochemical, and reproductive alterations induced by pesticides
C. R. Krishna Murti and T. S. S. Dikshith
Various concentrations of BHC, dieldrin, DDVP, lindane, diazinon, and
parathion solution, when coated on the skin of rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, and
dogs, produced loss in body weight and histopathological changes in the skin
(Dikshith et al., 1971; Dikshith and Datta, 1972a; Dikshith et al., 1974, 1976,
1978b; Sundaram et al., 1978). BHC (0.2%) exposure led to an increase in the
weight of the liver and altered the microsomal protein content and the level of
cytochrome P-450 (Rajamanickam and Padmanabhan, 1974). Acute exposure
to chlordane produced a significant change in the serum alkaline phosphatase
activity, and chronic exposure produced hyperproteinemia, hyperglycemia, and
a significant increase in serum acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in Indian
desert gerbils (Karel, 1976; Karel and Saxena, 1976). Biochemical effects of
DDT and also its carcinogenic potential have been reported (Aravindakshan et
al., 1977; Nageshwar Rao and Subrahmanyam, 1974; Gupta and Agarwal, 1977;
Kashyap and Gupta, 1971; Dikshith et al., 1975b; Kar and Dikshith, 1970). A
significant increase in the levels of liver and kidney enzymes by the beta isomer
of BHC has been observed. 'Y-BHC produced significant alterations in hepatic
asparate amonotransferase and the hepatic alkaline and acid phosphatase (Srinivasan and Radhakrishnamurthy, 1977).
Among the organophosphorus insecticides, toxicity of malathion in rats has
been studied in detail (Chauhan et al., 1973, 1974; Krishnamurthy et al., 1965;
Pawar and Makhija, 1975; Bhagavat and Ramachandran, 1973, 1975). It has
been shown that inhibition of acetylcholine esterase activity due to malathion
administration in the brain and heart was dose related, while such a relationship
was not observed in other tissues. In another study conducted to investigate the
effects of malathion on hepatic drug metabolism and lipid peroxidation in young
rats, the protein content was found to increase significantly in males but to
decrease significantly in females. There was an appreciable increase in aminopyrine-N-demethylase activity and in acetanilide hydroxylase activity in both
male and female rats. Other insecticides studied included metasystox, phorate,
pyrethrum, dichlorovos, and baygon (Mitra et al., 1978; Thontadarya et al.,
1974; Saxena and Karel, 1975; Pawar and Makhija, 1975; Fatehyab and Mahdi
Hasan, 1977). Effects of pesticides on reproduction in mammals have been
investigated (Agarwal and Ahmed, 1978). Carbaryl (200 mg/kg, 3 days/week)
did not alter the fertility of male rats (Dikshith et al., 1975a). Endosulfan (2.0
mg/kg) did not suggest any reproductive effects in male and female rats (Dikshith
et al., unpublished data).
Toxicological studies on DDT, BHC, lindane, endrin, endosulfan, parathion, fenitrothion, diazinon, malathion, phenthoate, dichlorovos, phosphamidon, quinalphos, and carbaryl using different species of laboratory animals have
also been carried out at the Industrial Toxicology Research Center, Lucknow.
The objectives included exploration of the in vivo cytogenetic, morphological,
pharmacological, biochemical, and reproductive alterations induced by pesticides