histological and biochemical changes in the liver of albino mice on exposure to insecticide, carbosulfan

carbosulfan (2,3-dihydro-2,2dimethyl-7-benzofuronyl [(dibutyl amino) thio] methyl] a carbamate insecticide and acaricide was administered orally at an effective dose of 48 mg/kg/day to albino mice for 5, 10, 20 and 30 days .control mice received similar quantities of olive oil. daily body weights were recorded and mice were sacrificed after 24 hours after the terminal exposure. the histologic examination of liver of the mice treated with carbosulfan for 10, 20 and 30 days revealed the dilation of central vein and sinusoids between hypertrophied hepatocytes. vacuolization and hyalinization of hepatocytes with loss of radial arrangement. treatment with carbosulfan for 20 days in female and male mice resulted in a significant decrease in protein and liver glycogen contents in female mice, whereas in male mice the glycogen was not changed significantly in the liver. the cholesterol content was increased significantly in male mice, but in female mice there was no significant change. treatment with carbosulfan for 30 days caused significant decrease in dna, rna, protein, glycogen and significant increase in the level of cholesterol in male and female mice. temporal study on liver enzymes displays treatment with carbosulfan for 20 days caused significant increase in ldh activity and significant decrease in na+k+atpase, mg++atpase, ca++atpase and no significant change in sdh, asat, alat, acp activity in female mice, however in male mice the activity of liver enzymes was not changed significantly. carbosulfan treatment for 30 days caused significant decrease in sdh, na+-k+atpase, mg++atpase, ca++atpase, acp activity, whereas ldh, asat, alat, akp activity were increased significantly in the liver of male and female mice. the results of the present study suggests that the carbosulfan has adverse effects on liver functions leading to histologic and physiological impairment.