Glyphosate Caused Detrimental Changes in Enzymatic Antioxidants in Rats

Background: Glyphosate is the most enormously used broad spectrum herbicide in the world. Current assessment of carcinogenic capability of glyphosate-based herbicides by various regional, national, and international agencies have endangered the controversy. Antioxidant enzymes are often used as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Among the biomarkers superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were essential in conservation of homeostasis of cell to function as normal being.

Aim: To investigate glyphosate induced detrimental changes in the enzymatic antioxidants in experimental rats.

Materials and Methods: Adult male wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups, each consisting of 6 animals. Group 1 consists of Normal control rats, Group 2 consists of Glyphosate treated at a dose of 50mg/kg body weight/day. Group 3 consists of Glyphosate treated at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight/day. Group 4 consists of Glyphosate treated at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight/day. The experimental period was 16 weeks. All chemicals and reagents used in this study were purchased from sigma chemical company, USA. Adult male albino rats weighing 180-200g were used for the study. Parameters analyzed were assay of Superoxide Dismutase Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase. The data were analyzed statistically by one-way analysis of variance followed by Duncan’s multiple range test, and it was used to see the statistical significance among the groups. The results with the p<0.05 level was considered to be statistically significant.

Results: The results indicated that there was a significant decrease in the activities of enzymatic antioxidants in all the Glyphosate induced rats, and it decreases with increase in dose of Glyphosate.

Conclusion: Glyphosate has induced oxidative stress in experimental animals by decreasing the expression of Enzymatic Antioxidants.