Embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of pesticides in chick embryos: A comparative study using two commercial formulations

Abstract

Developmental toxicity of two different classes of commercial formulations of insecticides was studied by in ovo treatment of fertilized Rhode Island Red eggs. The first one was a combination of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin and the second one was spinosad, a fermentation product of soil bacterium, Actinomycetes. In this study, the combination pesticide and spinosad of different concentrations were administered as a single dose in ovo in volumes of 50 μL per each egg on day "0" of incubation. Embryonic growth and development, morphological and skeletal malformations, and hatchability were assessed. The combination insecticide induced explicit alterations in the embryonic growth and development and resulted in malformations particularly to the axial and appendicular skeletal structures, whereas the changes were trivial in case of the spinosad exposure.

Teratogenic and embryotoxic effects of orally administered cypermethrin in pregnant albino rats

“…The reports available on long and short term toxicity studies of cypermethrin indicate that it is toxic to both target and non-target organisms including humans (AlHamdani et al, 2010;Uggini et al, 2012;Cremonese et al, 2014). The acute toxicity test results obtained from the present study is therefore not unexpected.…”

“…In addition, teratogenic effects have been reported in some other non-target species like birds and aquatic organisms (IPCS, 1989;Cox, 1996;Uggini et al, 2012;Yu et al, 2013) with such reports being consistent on the issue of low birth weight irrespective of the dose employed. Earlier findings by Shaw et al (1999) and Bell et al (2001) documented that exposures to pregnant women enhanced risks of giving birth to malformed babies, while Cremomese et al (2014) linked increased infant mortality rates to pesticide consumption which they attributed to CNS and cardiovascular system (CVS) malformations.…”

Teratogenic Effects of Chlorantraniliprole on chick embryos (Gallus gallus domesticus)

“…Asmatullah et al, (1993) examined the impact of malathion on development of chick embryo and noted reduction in body weight and crown-rump length while Cypermethrin induced reduction in size of head and eyecup, incomplete development and in some cases totally absence of beak in broiler chick embryo (Anwar, 2003 egg-shell formation in chicken (Nancy et al, 1994). Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, spinosad, malathion and endosulfan also induced reduction in body weight (Pourmirza, 2000, Uggini et al, 2010). Cypermethrin and CCl 4 caused reduction in crown rump length (Anwar, 2003;Clemedson et al, 1989).…”

Teratogenic and biochemical effects of a formulation containing dicofol in the chick embryo

“…It breaks down slowly and remains in the environment long after its application (Chopra, Sharma, and Chamoli 2011). Uggini, Patel, and Balakrishnan (2012) described that insecticides are one such environmental stressors, which often interfere with the fundamental developmental mechanisms, and eventually avert them from reaching their proper end points. Toxicity of dicofol has been reviewed extensively in other animals (Jadaramkunti and Kaliwal 2002;El-Kashoury et al 2009).…”

“…In India, production of pesticides started in 1952 with the establishment of a plant for the production of benzene hexachloride (BHC) near Calcutta. Today, the usage of pesticides in India accounts for more than 500 pesticide formulations, with an annual consumption of 164,080 tons of active ingredients, which average for 0.5 kg ha À1 (Uggini, Patel, and Balakrishnan 2012). All these chemical insecticides possess an inherent degree of toxicity to some living organism; otherwise they would be of no practical use.…”