Abstract:

Malathion is a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide used in the agricultural industry. Our study aimed to investigate the protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) against malathion by examining histopathological and biochemical parameters. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were used in this study. Groups formed; group I (control), only 5 ml kg-1 oral corn oil; group II (malathion), 40 mg kg-1 malathion by gavage; group III (malathion+CAPE), intraperitoneal (i.p.) CAPE (10 μmol kg-1) followed by intragastric malathion (40 mg kg-1) after 1 hour; group IV (CAPE), intraperitoneal CAPE (10 μmol kg-1). At the end of the administrations, rats were anesthetised with ketamine/xylazine intraperitoneally and euthanasia was performed with cervical dislocation. Their intracardiac blood was drawn under anaesthesia, and after the euthanasia, their liver tissues were removed for histopathological analysis. In group II that was treated with malathion, cell infiltrations around the central and portal vein, degeneration and focal necrosis areas in the liver were detected. Although the histopathological findings observed in the malathion group were also encountered in group III (malathion+CAPE), lesions were less severe. In the malathion group II, total oxidant status (TOS) and total sialic acid (TSA) levels in plasma increased compared with the control group, while total antioxidant status (TAS) decreased compared with the control group. In the Malathion+CAPE group III, it was observed that biochemical parameters were closer to the control group. In malathion-treated rats, it was determined that CAPE reduced the degeneration in the liver and it could have a protective effect by partially correcting oxidative stress parameters. It was concluded based on our findings that malathion, which is an organophosphate compound, makes toxic effects in the liver, but that CAPE has a protective potential because it partially reduces the severity and frequency of histopathological lesions and it brings biochemical values closer to normal.

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