Hypoglycemic Effect of Herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D)

Abstract

Herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), a synthetic auxin which promotes uncontrolled plant growth is widely used. The aim of our study was to investigate, using an experimental model, the effect of herbicide 2,4-D on liver function tests, enzyme a amylase and glucose blood level. BALB/C mice were treated i.p. with the herbicide (30 mg/ kg 2,4-D) for four consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, the treated and the control animals were weighed and sacrificed for biochemical analysis: haematocrit, glucose blood level, serum activities of enzymes alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, and a amylase, as well as liver reduced glutathione. Herbicide 2,4-D significantly decreased glucose blood level in mice. There were no changes in liver function tests or activity of enzyme a amylase. In this study on mice we confirmed the results obtained in the previous study, which showed a hypoglycemic effect of herbicide 2,4-D on agricultural workers. To elucidate the mechanism of this effect, a further research is needed.

Primena herbicida 2,4-dihlorfenoksisirćetne kiseline (2,4-D), sintetskog auksina koji podstiče nekontrolisani rast biljke, u svetu je veoma rasprostranjena. Cilj ovog rada bio je da se, korišćenjem eksperimentalnog modela, ispita uticaj herbicida 2,4-D na funkcije jetre, aktivnost enzima a amilazu i nivo glukoze u krvi. BALB/C miševi tretirani su intraperitonealno četiri uzastopna dana herbicidom (30 mg/kg 2,4-D). Dvadeset četiri časa nakon završenog tretmana, tretirane i kontrolne životinje su izmerene i žrtvovane radi određivanja: hematokrita, nivoa glukoze u krvi, serumske aktivnosti enzima alanin-aminotransferaze, aspartat- aminotransferaze, gama-glutamil transferaze i a-amilaze, kao i redukovanog glutationa jetre. Herbicid 2,4-D značajno je smanjio nivo glukoze u krvi kod miševa. Nije nađena razlika u funkcijama jetre ili aktivnosti enzima a-amilaze. Ovi rezultati su u skladu sa rezultatima prethodnog istraživanja kod poljoprivrednih radnika o hipoglikemijskom delovanju herbicida 2,4-D. Radi razjašnjavanja mehanizma ovog delovanja neophodna su dalja istraživanja.