Informatics Publishing Limited

Mukesh Gupta ¹, Pramod Sharma ¹, Sandeep Varshney ¹, Rakesh Khandelwal ¹, Girish Sharma ¹, K. K. Meena ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Pediatrics, Regional Institute of Maternal and Child Health, S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur - 342 001, IN

Abstract

Human baby is born with a readymade food supply and breast feeding has, for ages, been considered natural and instinctive. Successful nursing depends upon the presence of a strongly motivated mother and father, a healthy suckling infant and an encouraging doctor. Although various factors affect a woman's decision to breast feed her baby, the inspiration and support provided by her husband plays a vital role.

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Laxmi N. Sankhala ¹, Syamantak M. Tripathi ¹, S. K. Bhavsar ¹, Aswin M. Thaker ¹, Pramod Sharma ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat, IN
2 Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science and AH, Jabalpur, MP, IN

Abstract

To evaluate immunotoxicological effects of environmental chemical, subacute toxicity of repeated (28 day) oral administration of acephate (Ace) in BALB/c mice was assessed. Thirty two (sixteen male and sixteen female) mice were divided into four different groups with each group containing eight (four male and four female) mice. Mice of Group C1 were administered normal saline only and served as control. Group T1 was given 1/40^th of apparent LD₅₀ (ALD₅₀) (8.78 mg/kg), and group T2 was put on 1/30^th of ALD₅₀ [11.7 mg/kg], while group T3 received 1/20^th of ALD₅₀ [17.55 mg/kg] of Ace suspended in normal saline. The blood samples were collected from mice after 28 days of oral administration and analyzed for hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters. The study showed that hematological parameters (monocytes and granulocytes) remained unaffected except total leukocyte count and lymphocyte which were decreased highly significantly [P≤0.01] in mice of group T3 on the 28^th day of experiment. Serum total protein (TP) and serum globulin decreased significantly in mice of treatment groups dose dependently; however, no significant change was seen in serum albumin. Progressive increase in live body weight of mice decreased significantly in extremely toxic group only while spleen:body weight ratio decreased significantly in dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Ace produced suppressed humoral immune response and the delayed-type hypersensitivity response to Sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) was altered nonsignificantly. The results of this study describe the suppression of immune responses following exposure to Ace at low concentrations in experimental mice.

Keywords

Acephate, biochemical, hematological, immunity, organ:body weight

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