Tamarillo Consumption Associated with Increased Acetylcholinesterase Activity and Improved Oxidative Stress Markers in Farmers Exposed to Daily Pesticide-related Activities in Baturiti, Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The behavior of pesticide use that does not meet the standards will increase the risk of pesticide intoxication among farmers. The main content of pesticides, namely, organophosphates and carbamate, has been widely known to be the main culprit of the negative side effect through inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. However, this effect theoretically could be reduced by exogenous antioxidants properties provided in tamarillo fruit.
 AIM: This study aims to determine the effect of tamarillo consumption on the AChE activity and biomarkers of oxidative stress among farmers who exposed daily pesticide-related activity.
 METHODS: A randomized, open-label clinical trial was conducted among 40 farmers in the Baturiti, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia, during March–August 2018. The respondents were randomly divided into two groups: (1) Groups of farmers without tamarillo juice supplementation (control), and groups of farmers who were given pure tamarillotamarillo juice 250 ml/day every day for 2 weeks (intervention). Measurement of AChE, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels was carried out at the beginning and the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17 for windows.
 RESULTS: Bioactive compound assessment found several antioxidant properties such as flavonoid, tocopherol, polyphenol, β-carotene, ascorbic acid, citric acid, and anthocyanin. The study participants were dominated by male and the distribution of gender between control and intervention groups was comparable (p > 0.05). There were also no significant differences in age, height, weight, body mass index, land area, duration of being farmers, spraying frequency, and smoking history (p > 0.05). However, bivariate analysis between control and intervention groups found a statistically significant difference in SOD (MD: 23.31 ± 15.89 nmol/l; 95% CI: 14.13–32.49; p < 0.0001), MDA (MD: 81.82 ± 62.45 nmol/l; 95% CI: 45.76–117.88; p < 0.0001), and AChE (MD: 341.61 ± 206.44 nmol/min/ml; p < 0.0001) levels.
 CONCLUSION: Tamarillo consumption associated with increased AChE activity and improved oxidative stress through increased SOD and decreased MDA levels among farmers.