Abstract
Studies of superoxide dismutase (SOD) induction in rats exposed to locally produced insecticide; “Rambo” of which the active chemical compound is permethrin (0.6% w/w) was performed. The calcium levels in the blood plasma of the exposed rats were also evaluated. The rats were divided into three groups of five rats per cage. Each group of rats was fed with 1 %, 5 % or 10 % of the insecticide in their diets. The control group was fed normal diet. The effect of insecticide at various concentrations on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the blood plasma was not significantly different (P > 0.05) in the newly weaned rats (NWR). However, in the middle-aged rats (MAR) and aged rats (AR) groups, the results were significantly different (P < 0.05) against the parallel controls. Comparison of the effect of the insecticide on SOD induction at various concentrations among the groups based on age difference showed significantly different result (P < 0.05), especially among the groups fed with 10 % (w/w) of the insecticide in the diet. Serum Ca 2+ level (0.51 ± 0.22mg/ml) increased from newly weaned rats groups to (0.66 ± 0.24mg/ml) in the middle-aged rats and (0.63 ± 0.04mg/ml) for the aged rats. The observed Ca 2+ increase was significantly high for rats fed 10 % (w/w) concentration of the insecticide in the diet (P < 0.05). This increase tends to suggest a concentration- dependent effect. The no-observed-effect-concentration (NOEC) was found to be 0.006 g permethrin per 100 g of the diet, which is equivalent to 1% of the “Rambo” insecticide per 100g of the feed. Results of this study show that in non-target organisms “Rambo” insect powder may induce superoxide dismutase activity, thus, suggesting, oxidative-stress related toxicity. The observed increase in calcium ion especially at 10 % (w/w) of the insecticide showed that permethrin may induce toxic effects associated with cell death via mitochondria uncoupling and loss in ATP metabolism.
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