Cytogenetic Studies on the Effect of Insecticide Monocrotophos in Mouse Somatic and Germ Cells

Abstract

The ability of pure insecticide “Monocrotophos” to induce chromosomal abnormalities in mouse somatic and germ cells was investigated. Male swiss mice were treated by gavage with the doses 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg−1 body wt. Samples were taken 6, 24 and 48 h after treatment.The percentage of chromosomal aberrations increased by increasing the concentrations of the insecticide and reached its maximum 24 h following oral treatment in both somatic and germ cells. In splenic cells, it reached 24.8±0.73 and 17.8±0.86 (p<0.01) 24 h after treatment with highest and lowest doses of the insecticide respectively compared with 26.2±1.02 (p<0.01) 24 h after i.p. injection with Mitomycin C at 1 mg/kg−1 body wt.In primary spermatocytes at diakinesis metaphase I of meiosis, the percentage of chromosomal aberrations reached 21±0.71 (p<0.01) 24 h after treatment with the highest dose of Monocrotophos.The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE's) in mouse bone-marrow cells was dose dependent and statistically significant after treatment with all doses of Monocrotophos.The insecticide significantly increased chromosomal aberrations in mouse spleen, bone marrow and spermatocyte cells. Royal jell decreased the percentage of the induced chromosomal aberrations in somatic and germ cells after treated by gavage.