Antioxidant Profile of Rats in Mancozeb Induced Toxicity and its Amelioration by Tridax procumbens

Abstract

Mancozeb, a di-thiocarbamate fungicide, is widely used in agricultural practices for the control of parasitic fungi and their spores. The present study investigates the blood antioxidant profile of rats following subacute oral mancozeb exposure and the ameliorative effect of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Tridax procumbens on mancozeb induced toxicity in rats. 36 wistar rats were divided into 6 groups of 6 animals, each (Control, Mancozeb (@500mg/kg) treatment group, Tridax aqueous extract (@300mg/kg) group, Tridax methanol extract (@300mg/kg) group, Tridax aq extract + Mancozeb group and Tridax met extract + mancozeb group. The rats received the fungicide and the different extracts of the plant orally for 28 consecutive days, except the control group. Subacute mancozeb exposure significantly elevated the oxidative stress marker LPO. The altered antioxidant status was evident from the depleting blood glutathione levels, significant elevation in enzymic antioxidant parameters (Catalase, GST, G6PD) and simultaneous decrease in enzymes like SOD, GPxand GR. Supplementation of Tridax aq. extract and Tridax met. extract @ 300 mg/kg per day for 28 days in mancozeb intoxicated rats had a beneficial effect on the overall antioxidant profile of the animals as witnessed by no significant alteration in LPO, blood glutathione levels and activities of various antioxidant enzymes viz. GST, GR, SOD, CAT and G6PD. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that mancozeb administration induces pronounced oxidative stress in the rats and aqueous and methanolic extract of Tridax procumbens have mild to moderate ameliorative effect in the treated rats.