Abstract
Metolachlor is a selective pre-emergent herbicide widely used in agriculture to control weeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effects of metolachlor on reproductive performance of adult rats, as well as its teratogenic potential when administered during the period of organogenesis. Pregnant adult female rats were allocated into 4 experimental groups (n = 10 group-1), that received 0 (control); 150 (TA); 300 (TB); or 1000 mg kg-1 bw day-1 (TC) of metolachlor, by gavage, from the 6th to 15th gestational day (GD). There is reduction in the weight gain of the animals from TB and TC groups compared to the control group. Liver and placenta weights were reduced in TB and TC groups, respectively, while the percentage of post-implantation loss was increased in the TC group. There were no external malformations in either rat of the control or treated groups. However, an increased incidence of skeletal anomalies and visceral anomalies (especially in the urogenital system) was observed in TC group. These results demonstrate that exposure of pregnant rats to metolachlor can lead to signs of general toxicity, late embryonic losses and congenital anomalies.
Highlights
Several studies suggest association between environmental contamination and impact on human and animal health
The daily water consumption was similar among experimental groups throughout the gestational period and feed intake was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) only in the TC group, on gestational day (GD) 10
Clinical signs of toxicity of metolachlor in the groups treated with different doses of the herbicide were not observed
Summary
Several studies suggest association between environmental contamination and impact on human and animal health. Biological Sciences pesticides stand out in this scenario, considering their wide use in agriculture and consequential exposure of the general public and farm workers (Thulstrup & Bonde, 2006). Metolachlor (2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6methylphenyl)-N-(methooxyprop-2-yl) acetamide) is a selective pre-emergent herbicide, widely used to control weeds in corn, cotton, beans, sugarcane, soybeans and ornamental plants (U.S EPA, 1995). A monitoring study of groundwater in the United States (1993-2011) showed that metolachlor was one of the most frequently detected pesticides (Toccalino, Gilliom, Lindsey, & Rupert, 2014).
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