Evaluation of the divergent effects of pyrethroid- and D-allethrin-based coil fumes in male Wistar rats

Abstract

Mosquito coil fume is a cheap and commonly used method of reducing malaria incidence in third-world countries. The effects of fumes from pyrethroid and D-allethrin-based mosquito coils available in the Nigerian market were assessed in male Wistar rats. The rats were exposed to the insecticide fumes for 7, 14, and 21 days, while another group served as a control. The experiment consisted of seven randomly divided groups of six weight-matched animals per group. Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cholesterol, phospholipids, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein phospholipid (HDL-P) were evaluated. Lung-, liver- and kidney-reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxide (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde/lipid peroxidation (MDA) and lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) were also evaluated. Histoimmunochemistry was used to assess lung p53 and Bcl-2 expressions. Pyrethroid and D-allethrin-based fumes induced a significant (p < 0.05) increase in plasma AST, LDH, cholesterol, phospholipids, and HDL-P, with a reduction of HDL-C levels. The fumes significantly and differently dysregulated antioxidant enzymes. The inhalations of the fumes induced significant (p < 0.05) increases in kidney MDA and LOOH levels, liver MDA by pyrethroid fume, and lung MDA by D-allethrin only, but lung LOOH by inhalations of both fumes. The increased expression of lung p53 and repression of Bcl-2 by both fumes were duration-dependent. The fume-induced disproportionate tissue function biomarkers, redox status, and apoptosis-related proteins. These effects are a possible panoply of divergent modes by which exposure to coil fumes can be deleterious to human health.