Annual Research & Review in Biology

Aims: The histopathological effects of Profenofos, and Chlorpyrifos, as synthetic organophosphorus pesticides, on the liver, kidney, brain and spleen tissues in mice (Mus musculus) were determined by light microscopy. Recently the toxic effects of pesticides have been of public interest. The usage of pesticides is still the most effective and accepted means to protect plants from the pests and to increases productivity. The misuse of pesticides is connected with serious problems of pollution and health hazards. Profenofos and Chlorpyrifos is used widely in Egypt and they play a vital role in controlling Lepidopteron pests of cotton and vegetables [1].
Study Design: Mice were treated with Profenofos, and Chlorpyrifos sub-lethal concentrations (1/10, 1/40 and ADI LD₅₀) orally to twice a week for 30, 60, and 90 consecutive days.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of chemistry Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, between June 2012 and January 2013.
Results: Histopathological examination revealed various abnormalities in liver tissues, such as congestion of blood vessels, vacuolar degeneration of hepatic cells, focal infiltration and mononuclear cells, Moreover, all central veins and other hepatic blood vessels were dilated, some hepatic cells showed necrosis, disorganization with the formation of a denoid structure and some areas showed hepatocytomegaly with the increase of the number of cells showing double nuclei. Pathological finding in kidney showed perivascular edema with congestion of renal blood vessels, infiltration of mononuclear cells and around some of glomerular tubules, edema of Bowman's capsule and some renal tubules showed coagulation necrosis. Pathological finding in spleen showed disorganization of lymphocytes in lymphoid follicles and in white pulp, depletion of lymphocyts with sub capsular edema, and other cases showed increasing the number of megaterocytes with hemorrhages and haemosiderosis. Pathological finding in Brain showed menengial hemorrhages and congestion of blood vessels, with neuronophagia and satelletosis and sub meningial encephalomalacia, with neuronal degeneration of purkinjie cells were noticed and lesions, there was lyses of some neurons with demylenation of nerve fibers and privascular and pricellular edema. This investigation proves the toxic effects of Profenofos, and Chlorpyrifos at organ level.
Conclusion: The histopathological data showed that profenofos exhibited histopathological changes in liver, kidney, spleen and brain. Liver showed hepatic cell damage with degenerative changes. Kidney showed heamorrhages, edema, necrosis and glomeruli shrinkage. The spleen showed slight deplesion of the lymphocytes of the white pulp. The brain showed interstitial edema and severe necrosis. From these results we concluded that liver is the most sensitive organ and profenofos damage the structure of liver cells more severely than chlorpyrifos on albino mice.