Evaluation ofFoeniculum vulgareimpact on glyphosate hepato‐toxicity in Nile tilapia: Biochemical, molecular and histopathological study

Abstract

Glyphosate, a common herbicide widely used all over the world, can reach the aquatic environment and adversely affect their living organisms. The current study was designed to investigate the possible ameliorating effect of Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) against glyphosate exposure in Nile tilapia. The fish in this study were assigned into six groups: Control group, Fennel 1 group and Fennel 2 group: fed on 1 and 2 ml/kg diet, respectively, Glyphosate group: exposed to 1.2 ± 0.05 mg/L glyphosate in water, Glyphosate + Fennel 1 group and Glyphosate + Fennel 2 group: exposed to glyphosate and fed on fennel supplemented diet, all for 30 days. Blood and tissue samples were collected from all groups at the end of the experiment. The biochemical analysis of serum revealed a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities after glyphosate exposure. Moreover, a profound state of hepatic oxidative stress was observed in fish exposed to glyphosate as an increase in malondialdehyde and DNA fragmentation and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities. The gene expression of hepatic pro-inflammatory cytokines (Tumour necrosis factor-α–Interleukin-1β) was up-regulated in the glyphosate group. On the other hand, a diet supplemented with fennel extract reversed to a large extent the above-mentioned adverse effects of glyphosate exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, we could conclude that fennel supplementation provides a natural, safe and economically available method to reverse and protect against the inevitable pesticide exposure in non-target organisms as Nile tilapia.