Endocrine Abstracts

Methomyl (MET) is a carbamate insecticide used worldwide to protect a wide variety of crops from insect nuisances. Besides this beneficial role, it is classified as highly toxic compound for humans and animals by the EPA. Pistacia Lentiscus (PL) is a shrub that grows in the Mediterranean region; plant parts and oil have a long history in folk medicine in healing several diseases by their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiatherogenic and anticancer properties. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess the effect of MET on biochemical, histological and reproductive parameters as well as the possible protective role of Pistacia Lentiscus oil (PLO) against MET-induced toxicity in pregnant female rats.

Thirty two pregnant female rats were randomly divided into four equal groups including control, MET group (10 mg/kg/bw), PLO group (0.5 ml/kg/bw) and MET+ PLO group, MET and PLO were administered by oral route. At the eighteenth day of gestation (GD18), the blood samples were taken from retro-orbital sinus to evaluate the biochemical parameters and progesterone level. Then after the parturition, the different reproductive parameters were measured and the ovary and adrenal glands were removed, weighed, fixed and used for histopathological examination.

The results show that MET increased significantly the weight of liver and adrenal gland, the level of cholesterol, glucose, creatinin, urea, ASAT and ALAT, meanwhile the level of total protein was reduced. Likewise, MET induced reproductive toxicity pronounced by a decline in the level of progesterone, an alteration in the reproductive index and an increase in the number of ovary atretic follicles and degenerative corpus luteum. The supplementation of the PLO with MET reverses partially and/or completely all adverse effects noted on the biochemical and reproductive parameters as well as on the histopathological changes by their antioxidant activities. We recommended the use of PLO by oral and/or dermal application as protective agent against several diseases related to reproduction dysfunction.